


Queen of the Damned

by Thompsra



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2018-09-21 17:26:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 77,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9559595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thompsra/pseuds/Thompsra
Summary: Once upon a time, Regina was a princess from a southern kingdom. But one night, everything changed when she joined the realm of the undead. Her descent down the path of evil takes a whole new turn. Enchanted Forest AUDarker origin story of the Evil Queen, will feature the classic theme vampires vs werewolves





	1. Genesis

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis  
Celestial Palace, 1552   
“Is there no end to this heat?” The young woman moaned, wiping the condensation off her face with the sleeve of her nightgown.   
“It is the middle of July, Princess. Now would you please hold still?” Her handmaiden asked, slightly irritated. She had been trying to tame Her Majesty’s wild ebony curls into a braid with little success, due to the woman’s constant squirming.   
“But why does it have to be so hot?” The brunette again complained, leaning against the back of her chair so that her attendant could finish the job.   
“Would you like me to leave the windows open tonight? Maybe you’ll feel better with a nice breeze.”   
“That sounds lovely, thank you Tink.”   
After tying her handiwork off with a purple ribbon, the fairy went about the room fulfilling the future queen’s request, cracking the windows just enough to allow circulation of fresh air without making the space too cold.   
“Good night, Tink.” The royal mumbled into silk sheets, having gotten into bed in the meantime.   
“Sleep well, Regina.”   
And sleep she did, until a hooded figure sunk their teeth into her neck. 

It was awful; truly the worst pain she had ever felt. As soon as those sharp fangs pierced her skin, injecting her veins with venom, she was burning alive. Screaming, Regina began thrashing about on the bed. She couldn’t see very well, the venom affecting her vision, but she was able to make out the outline of her attacker moving towards her to hold her down.   
“What have you done?” Her strangled cry was muffled by the intruder’s hand over her mouth.   
“Something…. horrible!” The man giggled, running a pale finger down her jawline. Regina cringed, and wanted nothing more than to get away from him and his sadistic nature- the mischievous tone of his voice conveying nothing but sheer pleasure at her suffering. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the strength to fight back: her muscles were on fire and practically useless. So, Regina responded the only way she could.  
“…Why?” It was getting harder to speak with each passing minute, and she felt the warmth of her body slowly start to leave her.   
“All magic comes with a price! And you, dearie, are paying your mother’s debts.”  
The psychopath’s deranged laugher was echoing around her as she drifted out of consciousness. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Shadowfall Village, 1327  
“I’ve been drafted, Milah.” This was not the news he wanted to greet his wife with today. He had been hoping that his newborn son would be enough to keep him out of the upcoming Ogre War, but King William thought otherwise.   
“I see.” Milah had known this would happen for a few weeks now- it was all that the other women in the village complained about: how their poor, hard working husbands were in no condition to fight a war against the Blackforest Ogre tribe. And at first, she agreed. Their village was made up of farmers and merchants- not exactly warrior material. Then Baelfire was born, and her opinion shifted: if not enough people could be called to arms, then her sweet baby boy would have no future. In short, Rumplestiltskin had to fight.  
“You see? Is that all? If I go, I most likely won’t come back. What about Bae?” Rumple glanced down at the newborn in his wife’s arms, sleeping soundly. He was already hopelessly in love with his son, and wanted more than anything to watch Bae grow up. The chances of that happening now were pretty grim.   
“Bae deserves a shot at a good life, and a father that will do what is necessary to secure that future. You will join the battle, Rumple, end of discussion.”   
Milah’s argument was sound, resulting in a voiced agreement from the man, but internally Rumplestiltskin was planning on returning to his son. No matter the cost. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis  
Celestial Palace, 1552   
“Regina! Regina, can you hear me?” A man. Clearly distressed, yet familiar.   
“She’s out cold.” A pause, then a series of rushed, frantic footsteps.  
“What have you done you foolish girl?” This one was feminine. Harsh, angry, but also familiar.   
“She has no pulse, Cora.” Silence. She felt two cold fingers rush to her throat.   
“Stop hovering about, Henry, and go get the physician!” More rushed footsteps. She assumed the man went to do as was asked of him. The woman he called Cora then turned her full attention to her neck by poking and prodding icy skin.   
“Must have been a snake bite.” Cora muttered, stroking her hair mechanically.   
“Don’t worry, Regina. You’ll be just fine.” Fine. She would never be fine again.

“What seems to be the problem?” Another male voice, this one sounding older than Henry’s. How long had it been since they found her? 10 minutes? 20? It was all still a daze.   
“Her handmaiden came to perform her morning tasks, and found her like this.” She imagined what she must look like: pale, sickly, on the verge of death. Surely a horrifying sight.   
“And this was 15 minutes ago?” The physician began his exam, which to her felt like inspection of prized livestock. She internally groaned; It was irritating her that she couldn’t actually tell her audience what happened, being in a coma-like state.   
“This is no snake bite.” Yes, she knew that. Cora’s nails dug into her skin as a reaction.   
“Explain.” Again, silence. Was it hesitation?  
“She’s unconscious, unnaturally pale, and exsanguinated. The only physical mark she bares is two twin punctures to the jugular vein. No animal did this.” She felt Cora’s heartbeat accelerate.   
“How did I not see the signs? My poor, darling girl.” A pause, and then the sound of something heavy hitting a wall. Did Cora just imply that she was her daughter? Why did she have no memory of this?   
“If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I’ll rip out your heart.”   
“But Your Majesty, she’s”-   
“Turning.” She was so hung up on the earlier revelation that she didn’t notice being lifted into Cora’s lap. The strange woman returned focus to her throat, wiping away sticky fluid that remained in the wound.   
“This is the venom. She’ll be out for a few days.” Days? It already felt like weeks.   
“What, then, shall I put on the official report?”   
“Princess Regina caught the flu and will be confined to her room on bed rest- no visitors.”   
“As you wish.” One last set of receding footsteps, and then she was alone with Cora.   
“I know you can’t hear me in that haze of yours, but I will find who did this to you, mommy promises.” As nice as having confirmation on her relation to this woman was, something in Cora’s tone suggested that all was not what it seemed. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Helios  
Dragonstone Castle, 1525  
“You’ve ruined us, Cora! Tarnished our family name!” She cried out as he struck her, raising a trembling hand to cover the newly forming bruise on her cheek.   
“He lied to me, Father! Claimed he was a prince!”   
“And that gave you the right to lay with him? Conceive a bastard?”   
“We were going to get married- a baby would have secured my position on the throne.”  
As the fourth of King Nicholas’ children, Princess Cora was third in the line of succession for her father’s throne, behind her brother Alexander, sister Emilia, and youngest brother Christopher. Quickly realizing that she had no chance of becoming Queen of Helios, she sought to find a worthy prince in another kingdom to marry. This quest for power led to her scandalous relationship with a man that called himself Prince Johnathon, and the conception of a child. Needless to say, her father was furious with her for throwing away her virtue, and proclaimed that her recklessness had cost them their reputation. No prince would marry her now, not with a bastard child.   
“Don’t worry Father, no one will find out about this. I’ll get rid of the child once its born, and find another candidate for my hand.”  
“And how do you plan to go about marketing yourself? Why would this man pick you over your sister, who is a much better choice?” Cora gave him a smirk, eyes alight with mischief.   
“I’m sure you’ve heard of the mysterious Dark One, Father?” As predicted, the older monarch’s face fell at his daughter’s question.   
“Of course.” The man was notorious throughout the realm for his unusual business practices- just what did Cora want with him?  
“Find him. I require a few of his…services.”

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Battle of Moon Valley, 1328  
He was going to die. There was absolutely no version of this where he made it out alive. Dodging another falling tree, Rumplestiltskin ran for cover behind a small hill. He was left alone with his thoughts, as a majority of his comrades were either dead or severely injured- lying sprawled across the battlefield.   
“Forgive me, son.” The plea left his lips as more ogres headed in his direction. With nowhere else to run, he had no choice but to fight until the death.  
His skills with a sword and shield were something to be desired, to say the least. One weak upswing after another was accompanied by a hesitant downswing, resulting in one fatality out of the five he merely injured. Rumplestiltskin didn’t know how much longer he could keep this up.   
“Over here!” He paused to catch his breath when he heard a distinguishable female voice in the distance. Upon glancing in the direction of the sound, he saw a dark, cloaked figure beckoning him into the tree line.  
“Now, if you want to live!” He weighed his options: stay, and most likely end up an ogre’s dinner, or go with this woman and take his chances. Rumplestiltskin, a practical man, chose the latter.

“You’ve made the right decision, Dark One.” The stranger removed her hood, revealing two partially glazed over eyes.   
“What did you call me?” The name was unfamiliar, and he didn’t know if it had a hidden meaning or not. She took a seat on a tree stump, swirling her hands about as if trying to contain a ball of light.   
“All will be revealed in due time, Dark One. However, I didn’t track you down to tell you this future, but a more immediate one.” Rumplestiltskin then realized why her eyes looked so strange.   
“You’re a seer.” They were uncommon in this realm, and those that made themselves known were more often than not killed for fear mongering.   
“So perceptive.” Rumplestiltskin observed her increased hand motions, and a bright swirl of color form within them. She nodded towards him, and then motioned in the direction of her hands with a tilt of her head.   
“Observe.” Obediently, the failed soldier gazed into her palms, watching as the sights before him shifted into an image of Milah and Bae in his home- his wife clearly distressed.   
“What is the meaning of this?”  
“Your son will become ill with a disease of the lung and die within a fortnight.” Rumplestiltskin gasped inwardly, it was the worst news anyone could possibly deliver. He quickly began to feel hopeless, leaning heavily on his sword, his whole body trembling. The seer noticed the trademark signs of despair appear on his face, and was quick to deliver the other half of her message.   
“But, it doesn’t have to end this way. There is a cure.” His head shot up, now desperate for any solution she could give him that would save his son’s life. And she knew that, preying off of his vulnerability.   
“What you seek lies in an abandoned castle north of here- in the Eternal Mountains.”   
“I know the place; the castle is cursed. No man ever came back from there and lived to tell of it.” She leaned forward to grasp his chin, ensuring that he couldn’t look away.  
“You will succeed, Dark One. You will realize your destiny.”  
“Preventing Baelfire’s death is my destiny? I don’t understand.” The mysterious woman was slowly losing her patience, shoving a folded piece of paper into his hand.   
“The Count of Wallachia is expecting you. Now go! Time is of the essence, Rumplestiltskin.”   
And just like that, she was gone, leaving an ordinary man to embark on an insurmountable quest. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis  
Celestial Palace, 1552   
The return to consciousness was gentle, compared to the five days she endured in a hellish coma. Pain eventually subsiding, Regina was now free to move her arms and legs as she once pleased. Hesitant, afraid of the condition her body was in, she flexed her fingers and toes with positive results. Encouraged, she opened her eyes to find she was neatly tucked in her own bed- a state that she definitely didn’t recall being in.   
“Mother?” She rasped, hoping for a response. None came.   
“Tink?” Again, nothing. It was unusual: every morning Tink would arrive and help her dress for the day. She glanced out of the window to check the time- it was clearly mid afternoon.   
“Daddy?” A cold feeling of dread washed over her as she realized that no one was coming. As the heir to the throne of Solis, Regina was rarely alone in the palace. Her parents would constantly fuss over her, ensuring she completed her lessons for the day- which revolved around the methodology of ruling a kingdom. In truth, Regina found this incredibly boring, but it was better than living as a peasant.   
Swinging her legs off the mattress, the brunette princess moved towards the wardrobe to get dressed- her bloodstained nightgown wouldn’t do, it was extremely unladylike. Choosing a powder blue dress, Regina got changed, careful to avoid looking in the mirror as she did so. That man did something to her, and she feared the result.   
But, she was forgetting a crucial part of her appearance- her hair. Drawing in a breath, she inched closer to her floor length mirror, only daring to glance upwards because she couldn’t prolong it any longer. And she wished she hadn’t.   
“I’m a monster!” 

The woman staring back at her was dead, she thought. Regina looked like she had literally crawled out of the grave. Close to tears, she wondered if this was some sort of cruel cosmic joke, for her eyes were a murky amber instead of chocolate brown. Her skin had lost all color, now pale as a corpse, and cool to the touch. And that gave her pause. Someone with that low of a body temperature was not of this world, and yet she was still alive. Lightly tracing up and down her arm with a sharp nail, she stopped at the pulse point on her wrist. Nothing. Not even a faint heartbeat. Panicking, Regina checked her other wrist- same result. Cold clarity setting in, her palm came to rest on her chest. Her lifeless chest.   
“No!” Venomous tears were making their way down her cheek, staining her dress. She couldn’t care less. Her life as Princess Regina of Solis was over. To cement this statement, shaking hands went to her mouth, finding two distinct fangs where her canines should have been. 

“He turned me into…a bloodthirsty demon from the darkest pits of hell!” She was devastated, collapsing to the floor in a trembling heap, where her mother found her two hours later drowning in her own misery. 

She knew Cora was trying her best to comfort her, but her mother was never good at that sort of thing: the older woman had awkwardly drawn her daughter into a weak embrace, drying her tears with the sleeve of her dress.   
“Oh Regina, It’s not the end of the world.” Wasn’t it? She had joined the legion of undead, and all her mother had to say was let it go?  
“How can you say that? Look at me!” Cora just chuckled, running her fingers through Regina’s raven strands.   
“Yes, look at you! You’re even more beautiful than before, alluring even.” There it was, the real reason Cora was being so motherly all of a sudden. And it made Regina seethe with anger.   
“I’m a vampire, and you don’t even care?” She shouldn’t have said the word vampire out loud. Up until this point, she was preoccupied with the trauma of her situation, and hadn’t noticed all the minute changes to her physiology. When she was sobbing into her mother’s chest, everything was normal. But now, with her mind fully focused on the source of her problems, time stood still. The strong metallic scent of blood infiltrated her senses and worsened with each beat of Cora’s heart. It was unbearable, and incredibly unsettling, to realize just how badly she wanted to sink her teeth into her mother’s prone neck. Venom started to drip from her fangs in preparation, but she wouldn’t succumb to temptation. She refused to harm the woman she loved so very much, despite everything Cora had done to her throughout her life.   
“Pull yourself together Regina, you look like a wild animal.” If Cora didn’t shut up, she would seriously consider taking a bite or two out of spite.   
“Get out, Mother.”  
“Not until I get some answers. Who bit you?” That was the million-dollar question with no clear answer.   
“I didn’t get a good look at his face, but his skin was yellowed, and shiny.” Cora stiffened, and that reaction didn’t go unnoticed.  
“Do you know something I don’t Mother?”   
“Did he talk in riddles and giggle at the end of his sentences?”   
“Yes. And he also rambled on about me paying your debts.” Cora growled, using magic to hurl a vase against the wall, shattering it.  
“Rumplestiltskin. That sneaky little imp bastard.” With her mother’s rage building, Regina was almost afraid to ask, but she had to know. This man attacked her for one of Cora’s many grievances.   
“What happened between the two of you?”   
“Nothing that you need to worry about. I’ll take care of it.” Cora spoke in a tone that suggested she drop the matter or else. After a few seconds to compose herself, it was back to business as usual.  
“We need to find you something to eat. Normally I’d say nothing but the best, but it wouldn’t bode well for our family’s reputation if a few nobles starting going missing in our kingdom. Peasant will have to do.” Regina couldn’t believe the audacity of her mother, but she was right. If she didn’t quell her thirst soon, the first person she laid eyes upon was going to end up her victim.   
“Do what you must, Mother. I suppose you can tell the people I am fully recovered from my illness.” She had pieced together what must have happened while she was unconscious: Cora had quarantined her to keep the secret. Regina, for all the hatred she had towards the woman, was grateful for her mother’s insight- if word got out, she would have been burned at the stake.   
“Of course- how else will you accept King Leopold’s proposal?” This information shocked Regina to her core. 

What proposal? 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Midnight Trail, 1551  
“As much as I appreciate going on holiday, you have failed to mention the destination, Mother. Care to enlighten us?” Regina was beginning to grow impatient- they had been traveling for hours, and nothing looked familiar. The scenery that she observed from the carriage window was beautiful, she couldn’t deny that, but the endless forests grew monotonous after a while.   
“You are familiar with King Leopold, are you not?” Of course she was- part of her royal education included extensive study of all the kingdoms in the Enchanted Forest and their ruling families. And of the monarchs she learned about, King Leopold was, in her opinion, rather arrogant and out of touch with his people. She was glad he was already married, for she had no desire to be wed to a man that did nothing but throw extravagant balls and drink excess amounts of wine.   
“Certainly. I hope we didn’t come to attend a celebration, I left my best attire back in the palace.” Her father gave her a stern look for the sassy retort- the less angry she made Cora, the better for both of them.   
“His Majesty has graciously given us the use of his seaside villa in return for upholding his trade agreement. I thought you’d be grateful; you love the beach.”  
“Hm.” Regina hummed, wondering if her mother had any ulterior motives for this trip. It wouldn’t be the first time- when she was sixteen, Cora used her birthday ball as a cover to invite all the eligible princes to the palace. Regina turned them all down, of course. She would marry for love, not power.  
“Cora, do you hear that?” Henry’s question cut the mounting tension, causing both women to turn their heads in the direction he was looking. Another high pitched scream reverberated through the air.   
“It appears that someone’s horse has gone wild.” Cora drawled, putting emphasis on the word horse.   
“Is no one going to help?” Regina yelled, motioning to their driver to halt the carriage.   
“What do you think you’re doing? You’ll get killed!” Henry tried, in vain, to grab onto his daughter, but she had already departed the carriage and was detaching one of the horses from its harness.   
“Only if I fail.” Quickly mounting the black stallion, Regina raced as fast as possible towards the panicked horse and rider. As she got closer, she realized that the rider was a ten-year-old girl holding on to her mount for dear life.   
“Help me, please!”   
“Grab my hand!” There was no hesitation from the young girl, allowing Regina to pull her onto her own horse- the out of control chestnut mare galloping away.   
Bringing the stallion to a gradual stop, Regina dismounted first to assist her more inexperienced companion.   
“Are you alright?”   
“I think so.” A bit shaken up, but Regina could see no physical injuries. She let out an exhale of relief.   
“I’m Princess Snow.” The girl said, offering a hand for Regina to shake.   
“Princess Regina, nice to meet you.” While it was odd that this girl would turn out to be the daughter of King Leopold, the reason why her family was on this holiday, Regina didn’t think anything of it. The two girls shared a hug before an older man, presumably the king, caught up to them.   
“Snow! Are you hurt, my dove?”   
“I’m fine, Father, Regina saved me!” Leopold turned to her with a grateful expression, offering a polite smile.   
“Thank you, Princess. I don’t know what I would have done if Snow had gotten hurt.”  
“Daddy, I never said she was a princess. How did you know?”  
“Because that’s Queen Cora approaching us, dear.” Regina internally groaned, couldn’t her mother just stay in the carriage until she returned unharmed? It wasn’t like she was a novice equestrian, after all. But no, Cora wouldn’t miss an opportunity to mingle with other royals.   
“Good afternoon, Leopold. I imagine you and Snow were out for a ride?”  
“Indeed, and it seems Snow will be in need of a new horse. I don’t know what happened to spook it- but it ran off like nothing I’ve ever witnessed.” Cora gushed how wonderful it was that Snow was alright, then offered condolences for the loss of his wife. Queen Eva was dead?  
“Daddy, can Regina play with me?” The girl tugged on the hem of her father’s riding vest impatiently.   
“If that suits the lady. Ask politely, Snow.” Before Regina could give her answer, Cora replied for her.  
“What a wonderful idea! Why don’t you and Snow go have lunch, there’s plenty of food in our carriage, Regina.” It wasn’t an awful suggestion, and she was definitely hungry.   
“Come with me, Princess. Let’s see what delicious sweets they packed for us!” The two of them walked off, leaving Cora and Leopold alone.   
“I’m so thankful for your daughter, my lady. She saved Snow’s life.”  
“Regina has a kind heart, and she loves children.”  
“Qualities that appeal to her fiancée, I’m sure. He’s a lucky man.”  
“Regina is not engaged. We never had any offers that were suitable.” That information came as a surprise to Leopold. How had no one expressed interest in such a beautiful young woman before? A woman that seemed to take a shine to his daughter….   
“In that case, I would like to ask for her hand. I haven’t seen anyone care for Snow like that since my wife died. Would she be agreeable?” Cora couldn’t contain her glee, flashing the king a beaming smile.   
“She’d be delighted! I must tell Henry immediately!” 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Eternal Mountains, 1328  
He never believed in destiny, for he had witnessed the consequences of such wistful thinking firsthand. As a young boy, they didn’t have much. His mother had died in childbirth, and his father was a drunk that swindled people out of their possessions. It was to help them get by, his father said, to buy them a better life. Rumplestiltskin was as optimistic as a ten-year-old boy could be, and turned a blind eye. It was their destiny, said Malcolm, to have extraordinary wealth. To live in a manor with servants. To want for nothing ever again. And for a few years, Rumplestiltskin believed him. And then, Malcolm abandoned him. Left him with a few old spinners and ran off, avoiding all his responsibilities. And good riddance, Rumplestiltskin thought that day. He was much better off without his neglectful father and his falsehoods. A cycle that he did not want to repeat with his son, which was why he was alone in the middle of the woods, unprotected, in the dark of the night.   
“I’m right back where I started!” The stressed father yelled in frustration, recognizing the small hamlet where he started the morning. Another day, wasted. Baelfire was one day closer to death and he had nothing to show for it. He was useless, just like his father.  
Preoccupied with berating himself, Rumplestiltskin failed to notice that a woman had approached him, arms outstretched to prevent him from striking the nearest tree.   
“Pardon me sir, but I couldn’t help but notice your distress. What has you in such a state?”   
She was unlike any woman that he had seen before. Her skin was as pale as moonlight, and she was dressed in a garment that was one hundred years out of fashion. But that wasn’t what struck him the most: her eyes were an unnatural shade of blue, which matched the way she looked at him.   
“I didn’t catch your name, my dear.” The odd woman chuckled, as if expecting that reaction.   
“I didn’t give it. Mina Harker, if you must know. But that still leaves my question unanswered.”   
“It’s my son, he’s very ill. I was told an item in the Eternal Mountains could heal him, that I needed to consult the Count of Wallachia. Do you know where I could find him?” A flash of shock crossed Mina’s face, and then she quickly regained her composure.   
“As a matter of fact, I do. It’s best if you come with me, Rumplestiltskin. He doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” Rumplestiltskin froze. How did she know his name?  
“You hesitate. My master has been expecting your arrival for some time. Your mention of his title gave you away, I’m afraid.” Although he didn’t exactly trust this woman, she had the information he needed. It was in his best interests if he played along.  
“Of course, I apologize.” They began walking away from the crowded village and into the neighboring forest, a feeling of uncertainty beginning to form in his stomach. She had the upper hand, and was in full control of the situation.   
“May I ask where your master lives? I’ve been trying to find his castle for a week.” Mina let out a highly amused howl and turned to face him.   
“Whomever you spoke to only gave you partial information. While it’s true that the castle is situated atop the Eternal Mountains, you weren’t able to find the Forbidden Fortress because it’s enchanted.” Well wasn’t that just great? How was he supposed to know? Damn seers and their vague instructions.   
“Lead the way, then. I suspect it’ll take us a day or two to reach the summit.” She grinned. He didn’t like the looks of that.   
“A few days? I was thinking a few seconds!”   
Before Rumplestiltskin could respond, Mina had lunged forward, enveloping the two of them in a ruby red cloud of smoke. When the smoke evaporated, they were gone. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Forbidden Fortress, 1328  
The pair reappeared in a valley created by the space in between the mountain’s two twin peaks, but only one of them landed on their feet.   
“What the bloody hell did you just do?” Rumplestiltskin mumbled from his sprawled out position on the ground, face down in six inches of snow.   
“It’s called magic, young one. Or hadn’t you noticed our method of transportation?” Not bothering to help him up, Mina began waltzing down the icy roadway at a brisk pace.   
“Traveling through air and ending up in a vastly different climate?” He spat, dusting the layers of snow off his cloak. “Yes, I did indeed notice.”   
Rumplestiltskin had caught up with his companion, taking in the endless row of pine trees on either side of them.   
“I apologize for the premature winter; my sister prefers the cold.” At this statement, Rumplestiltskin assumed her sister had magic as well, and was causing the arctic weather.   
Choosing not to reply, they continued on for five minutes until they came to a path that diverged upwards, towards the mountain’s west peak. It was hard to make anything out in the blizzard-like conditions, but Rumplestiltskin thought he saw what resembled a castle situated on top of a flat piece of land.   
“Your master’s homestead, I assume?”   
“Yes, now come. We’re already late.”   
Not wanting to give this count a reason to dislike him, the weary traveler let himself be pulled along by this mysterious woman, silently wondering if this effort would all be for naught. 

“Wait here.” Mina instructed, standing him by the door, before quickly disappearing into the shadows of the foyer. Shuddering from the cold, Rumplestiltskin drew his cloak tighter around his shoulders and took in the state of the castle. It had clearly seen better days. The grand marble staircase was crumbling in certain places, pieces of it missing, even, and some of the stained glass windows at the end of the hall were cracked and broken. Cobwebs had fully covered the vaulted ceilings and began drifting down to the marble support columns. The decrepit atmosphere was accentuated by the lack of light- the castle’s interior only made visible by scattered torches on the stone walls. It was hardly suitable for living in, he thought, but he had no say in the matter.   
After some time, Mina returned, walking alongside an older gentleman and a younger blonde woman. Right away, Rumplestiltskin noticed that all three had the same sickly disposition, which piqued his interest. Something was going on here, and he had a feeling he was about to find out what.   
The two women guided the man into a rather imposing throne and sat on either side of him, like dutiful servants, but how often did servants dress like noblewomen? The man pointed his index finger directly at him and beckoned him closer.   
“At last we meet, Dark One.” There was that name again, Dark One. But how did he know? Rumplestiltskin took a look at his attire, and the fact that he was seated on the throne, and reasoned that this was the Count in front of him.   
“I was told you were expecting me, my lord.” The man said nothing, his intense stare boring into Rumplestiltskin’s soul. Was he supposed to keep talking?  
“My son is ill, my lord. A seer informed me about seeking your help, said that only you could cure him.” The chuckle that escaped the Count’s lips was low and piercing, which sent shivers down his spine. He needed to escape this accursed place as soon as possible.   
“I’m aware of Baelfire’s condition. But before we discuss business, I must formally introduce my two wives. Mina, on my left, and Ingrid, on my right.” Was this the sister that Mina mentioned earlier?  
“You’ve already met Mina, and Ingrid is my newest wife, the former crown princess of Arendelle. She’s responsible for the snowy climate- her magic is still out of control.” Ingrid turned and raised an eyebrow at her husband, as if questioning the exchange of information.   
“It’s alright Ingrid, he won’t be leaving here the same way he came.” The Count turned back towards Rumplestiltskin to clear up any confusion on the matter.   
“You might have heard about her disappearance; I can assure you it was all a simple…misunderstanding. Her father owed me a debt, so I took what was mine.”   
The picture was becoming clearer in Rumplestiltskin’s mind. Princess Ingrid had indeed gone missing from Arendelle, he had heard the story, but that happened over fifty years ago. The woman sitting in front of him didn’t appear to have aged a day.   
“Now, about your son, what are you prepared to offer me in return?” He gulped, that was something that slipped his mind.   
“All I have are a few gold coins.” The Count took a moment to consider this, then leaned forward- his face now fully visible in the torchlight.   
“It’ll cost more than that for a vial of my venom, boy.” Venom? That was the cure?  
“Pardon me, my lord, but I don’t understand.”   
“Didn’t the seer tell you? My formal title is Count of Wallachia, but you may know me as Count Dracula.” Rumplestiltskin froze in horror- the man before him was indeed king of the vampires, long thought to be just a myth.   
“Still want to make that deal, Dark One? I am willing to trade my venom…for a price.” Dracula, having magic of his own, brought the shaking human closer with a wave of his hand.   
“My wives and I are starving for a decent meal, so here’s my offer: your blood, my venom.” Both women had gotten up from their thrones, fangs primed and at the ready, waiting for the signal from their master.   
“No! Please, you’ll kill me!” Rumplestiltskin was frantic, trying in vain to escape from Dracula’s grasp.   
“Is that what you think? I need you alive, foolish human, in order for you to become the Dark One.” Dracula had successfully pinned him to the ground, neck fully exposed.   
“Now then, ladies first!”   
It all happened in a blur- he saw Ingrid and Mina lean over his body, and shortly after felt the pain of two separate bites on his wrists (saving the best for their husband). Venom entered his bloodstream, and he screamed to high heaven, hoping that someone would hear him. It was useless: once Dracula finally sunk his own fangs into his neck, he lost consciousness. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Eternal Mountains, 1228  
“How much longer, my lord? The men are weary and cold.”   
“We should reach the fortress before sundown, if we keep to this pace.”   
“And what do you expect to find there? We passed at least five vacant castles that would have done the job.”   
“There’s a rumor that this fortress is filled with the gold of ten kingdoms. With it, we can maintain our army long enough to invade Transylvania.”   
General Helsing nodded at his superior and turned his horse around to fill in the rest of the chain of command. He knew there was going to be uproar from his men, but they were quickly running out of funds for the rebellion they were leading. And that news would surely cause them to lose support from the nomadic tribes.   
“If my dear brother believes he is winning this war, he has another thing coming.” Count Vladislav declared, charging ahead of his troops towards the looming fortress in the distance. 

The Count and his followers had suspected that whoever inhabited the castle would not agree to parting with their treasure, and entered the stone structure prepared for a fight. To their surprise, the many piles of gold trinkets and jewels were left unguarded. At least, they appeared to be.   
“Do we just…take it then?” General Helsing asked, tentatively reaching for a golden lamp.   
“Don’t touch anything!” The Count snapped, slapping the valuable object out of his hand. “It’s too good to be true! Whoever lives here can’t be far.” The Count didn’t know how correct he was: the act of touching just one piece of treasure triggered the castle’s magical defenses.   
“Indeed.” All the men were startled by the female sounding disembodied voice, and frantically searched the room to find its origins.   
“Show yourself, witch!” There was a chuckle, and then a pause. The Count and company stood frozen in place, afraid to anger whatever magical entity was inhabiting the castle.   
“As you wish.”   
The temperature in the room dropped to a chill, and then the rear window blew open, allowing a forceful gust of wind to extinguish all the candles and torches in the hall. In the darkness, they didn’t notice that the gust of wind had materialized into a woman with a strange looking staff.   
“Who are you and what are you doing in my castle? Stealing my gold?” No one wanted to answer, as the sight of her before them was enough to scare them into the next century. She was tall and statuesque, her posture rigid. Her skin carried a blue tint, and she had rather large horns on her head. The look in her eyes suggested that she was older than she appeared.   
“We were unaware that this castle was inhabited, milady.”  
“My name is Maleficent, you fool.” She took a seat on her throne and beckoned a large raven to her shoulder.   
“The Dragon!” General Helsing gasped, trying to hide his fear behind a brave face.   
“Yes.” She hissed, running a hand over the orb on her staff. “And now I must decide what to do with you.”  
“We never meant any harm, my lady, we were just about to leave.” The Count was slowly walking backwards towards the front door.   
“I don’t think so.” Maleficent waved her hand, effectively locking them in. “Such arrogance, such greed. Which one of you is the leader?”   
Count Vlad stepped forward, looking the woman dead in the eye. “I am.”  
Maleficent leaned forward, planning to toy with the man for her entertainment. “What do you know of me, young one?” And that was an extremely good question. What did he know?  
In all the books he read as a boy, there were frequent mentions of a race of people known as forest sprites. Guardians of nature, the ancient celestial beings were blessed with certain gifts later known as magic. Their magic was primal, unrestrained, and yet neither light nor dark. The three oldest fairies were named for the domains they governed: White, Black, and Blue (white for life, black for death, and blue for judgment). There was a falling out with the Black Fairy when she decided that magic could be so much more than just a tool to grow trees and create fires, going against her sisters to create something worthy of the “powers of hell”. As a result, she was banished to the Enchanted Forest to live as a dragon. This woman, Maleficent, was the first user of modern dark magic.   
“You created dark magic, you went against the laws of nature.”   
“Correct. And it’s been an awfully long time since I had anyone to practice it on. I’ve been working on a new curse, care to try it out?” Count Vlad was powerless in this situation, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to defeat someone like her in a swordfight.  
Maleficent removed a scroll of paper from her orb and inhaled, breathing green fire onto the paper. The scroll burned to a crisp, its ashes circling the air. Before the Count knew what was happening, he was inhaling the ashes and falling to the floor in immense pain.   
“I call it ‘The Curse of Eternal Night’, or vampirism.” Maleficent cackled, changing into her dragon form. She unleashed her wrath on his men, and soon the entire castle was enveloped in flames. But Count Vlad didn’t get to witness this, as the pain became too much for him to bear- passing out to the sounds of his dying men. 

Two months later

“None of these women will do!” He growled, tossing the red haired woman in his arms aside. She was far too feeble, too weak, to serve him any purpose. The Count needed a wife that would be worthy of him and his magical prowess, and he was quickly running out of patience.   
“I’m sorry my lord, but they are the best the kingdom has to offer.” His human servant meekly stammered, hiding behind the banquet table for shelter.   
“Find me the seer by the name of the Blind Witch. I’m done wasting time.” Count Vlad, now going by the name Dracula, then picked the poor girl off of the floor and tore into her flesh with his teeth. 

“I knew you would request my help.” The seer walked around the throne room aimlessly, running her hands blindly over the walls and columns.  
“Then I suppose you already know of my plight.” Dracula took another sip from his goblet, eyeing the witch curiously- she was rumored to be the best fortune teller in the kingdom, and he hoped she wouldn’t disappoint, for her sake.   
The seer paused, then took a few strides in his direction.   
“Indeed. But the woman you seek hasn’t been born yet.” Dracula slumped back into his throne with a huff. Not the news he wanted to hear.   
“Oh? Pray tell.”  
“In three hundred years’ time, there will be a daughter born to the king and queen of Solis. She will have beauty beyond compare, and will be the most powerful sorceress this realm has ever seen.” The Blind Witch reached for his hand, stroking it with her thumbs.   
“But she will commit unspeakable evils, a monster, like you.” Dracula was intrigued, he didn’t mind a little darkness. With her, they would be a power couple, an unstoppable force.   
“What’s the catch?”  
“You cannot turn her, if you do she will die.” He growled, irritated. Was this witch going to give him any good news?  
“What do I have to do?”  
“One hundred years from today there will be a man that seeks your help. His name is Rumplestiltskin, and he will ask for a cure on behalf of his infant son Baelfire. There will be nothing you can do for the child, but you must gain his trust. Once you do, you will turn him into a vampire. He will be of great use to your cause.”  
“How so?”  
“Reborn as the Dark One, he will be relentless in his quest for power. A new Dark Age will befall the realm, and magic will reign supreme. You won’t need to hide any longer.”  
“And what of my wife?”  
“He will be the man to turn her. Bide your time, she will come to you.”   
The seer let go of his hand and motioned to be escorted out of the castle. Dracula let her leave, but not before she answered one final question.   
“Can you tell me her name?”   
The witch turned around and smiled at him, all too eager to fulfill his request.   
“Queen Regina Ava Victoria of Lunaria, the fairest of them all.”

 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Crescentwood Village, 1328  
The last twenty-four hours had been a blur. He remembered waking up in a haystack outside the village inn feeling dazed and confused. It was dark, late in the evening (going by the number of intoxicated patrons exiting the inn’s bar), and cold. Rumplestiltskin had no idea how he ended up in the village, but he assumed that one of the brides brought him back here when he was unconscious. With that assumption, he took a moment to let his new reality sink in: he was a vampire now, a monster. But surprisingly, he wasn’t too bothered by this- he had vampire venom of his own that he could take back to his son. Everything would work out.   
After laying in the haystack for what felt like hours, he could no longer ignore the burning in his throat. He had to feed. And really, Rumplestiltskin should have been more disturbed by the new, cannibalistic nature of his diet, but he wasn’t. The venom had altered his mind to think of humans as nothing more than animals. And animals could be hunted.   
Choosing prey at random, he approached an older man with a pint of ale in his hand. The man screamed, but no one heard him- Rumplestiltskin quickly covered his mouth and moved them away from the crowd. In the dark alleyway, the man still trembled in fear, and the vampire knew why: Dracula, right before turning him, had unnatural amber eyes and translucent skin. It was enough to frighten anyone, but at the moment Rumplestiltskin knew the man had noticed his fangs, so he had to make this quick.   
“Forgive me.”   
It was over in a few seconds, but he didn’t feel sated. The taste of that man’s blood only whetted his appetite- typical for a newborn. He went back to the inn, intent on claiming another victim, when he overheard a conversation between two younger looking men.   
“How’s your sister?”  
“Not well, her infant son just died.” Rumplestiltskin’s dead heart panged in sympathy: he couldn’t imagine loosing his own son.   
“I’m sorry to hear that, what was the cause?”  
“He stopped breathing in the middle of the night, they think it was a problem with his lungs.” The vampire noticed that detail right away, as he was informed by the seer that a lung disorder would take his child. But it was simply a coincidence, nothing more.  
“Tell Milah I send my condolences.” No. It couldn’t be. Not Baelfire.   
“I shall. It’s too bad her husband wasn’t there; he’s off fighting in the Ogre War.” He inhaled a sharp breath, silencing his outcry with his cloak. The worst case scenario had now occurred, and he had failed his family.

He left after that, unable to hear the rest of the conversation. He had taken too long and now Baelfire was dead. The pain was unimaginable, and he collapsed against a nearby tree. He would never see his son again, never see him take his first steps and say his first word. Rumplestiltskin’s first response was to deny that it was Baelfire, given that he had no prior knowledge of Milah having any siblings, but then again he never met any of her family. It was certainly plausible.   
Having decided that returning home could wait, Rumplestiltskin would fully embrace his destiny as the Dark One. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Helios  
Tower of Light, 1525  
“I was a fool to think he would come.” Cora yelled in frustration, leaning partly out of the tower’s northern facing window. It was ridiculous, really. Had she truly believed that she was worthy of the Dark One’s time?  
“Careful, one might think you have a death wish.” Cora turned around, a hand over her rapidly beating heart.   
“So, you came after all. I’m honored that you agreed to my request.” She crossed the room to shake his hand, but he waved her off.   
“No need for that, dearie. I never cared for formalities. Just names.”  
“Princess Cora of Helios, and I am in desperate need of your help.” She sat down on the longue, smoothing the layers of her dress nervously.   
“Yes, the bastard child. Looking to get rid of it?” Cora’s eyes had doubled in size: had her father said something?  
“How did you know? The only person I told was my father.” Rumplestiltskin paced the room looking rather bored, conjuring a wooden spinning wheel in front of her.   
“I can see the future, but that’s besides the point. Are you willing to make a deal around the baby?”  
“I asked you here to teach me magic, not get rid of my child.” The Dark One giggled, motioning towards the spinning wheel.   
“And I will do just that. I will teach you how to spin straw into gold.” He waved his hand, causing the wheel to spin on its own, and a few golden strands fell to the floor in a heap.   
“King Xavier’s treasury is bankrupt: if you demonstrate that you can turn ordinary straw into gold, he will offer you one of his sons to marry.”   
While Cora was mesmerized by the show of magic before her, she was still uneasy about the whole situation- something about Rumplestiltskin bothered her.   
“And I assume that your price is my firstborn?”  
“Now you get it!” He slid up behind her, placing his hands on her hips. Cora went rigid from the unexpected contact, skin crawling as Rumplestiltskin trailed a fingernail up and down her neck. She shivered- his touch was ice cold.   
“Why do people call you the Dark One?” She asked, knowing that such a nickname had to be well earned.   
“I have a…skin condition that makes it hard to go out during the day.” Cora didn’t believe that was the reason. She knew a bullshit excuse when she heard one.   
“Oh really? Please elaborate, I’d love to know how sunlight causes you harm.” She laid the sarcasm on thick, twisting her neck around to look back at him. Rumplestiltskin stopped the creepy massage and moved into the light, his features now fully illuminated.   
“This is what I am. A creature of the night with a thirst for bloodlust.” 

She hadn’t expected that revelation, but there were a variety of supernatural beings inhabiting the Enchanted Forest that lived among humans- vampires were just one of many. Hell, if she became a sorceress like she planned, she would be considered a supernatural being herself. Whatever upper hand Rumplestiltskin thought he had was useless: she wasn’t scared of him in the least, and she told him so.  
“Be that as it may, there’s no need to intimidate me or seduce me, Dark One. You can have the child. I don’t particularly care for it.” Rumplestiltskin went silent, trying very hard not to lose his temper.   
“What?” He was right in front of her face in a matter of seconds, hands gripping her shoulders.   
“I can’t marry a prince with a child born out of wedlock. If I have to trade my baby for power, I will not hesitate.”   
Rumplestiltskin was literally seething with anger, and decided that their current deal would no longer do. She had the only thing he regretted losing inside her, and she was just going to abandon it? No, he didn’t want her baby. A person like that needed to suffer.   
“I’m altering the deal.” He let go of her shoulders and shoved her to the floor, beginning a magical incantation.   
“You will succeed, Cora. The prince will marry you, and you will bare him a child, securing your position on the throne. You will forget about the child you threw away, and your life will be perfect- at a great cost.” Dark magic was swirling around him, sucking all the life out of the room. Cora tried to get up, but she was held in place by an invisible force.   
“You will lose the ability to love, and be loved in return.” She could feel a pain beginning in her chest caused by his dark magic, and she couldn’t help but cry out.   
“And as I’m feeling particularly malevolent, the same will also extend to any and all of your children. Because of you, Cora, they will never experience true happiness. That is my curse.”   
“You monster!” The pain had increased tenfold, and she was on the cusp of blacking out.   
“Takes one to know one, dearie!” He towered over her body, watching her writhe in torment.   
“Do you like the curse, your majesty? Isn’t it just horrible?” He was enjoying this immensely, but it wasn’t enough. He did just show her how to do magic, and that deserved something in return. While he no longer wanted her baby, the child was still important to him. He would give it time, and perhaps all would work out.   
“However, now that I think about it, I want something after all. You got your magic lesson, but what will you give me, Cora? I’d keep a close eye on your children in the future, if I were you.” His smirking face was the last thing she saw before darkness finally took her.   
The Dark One saw himself out, informing the tower guard that the princess had suddenly fallen ill, and that sending for the royal healer would be most wise. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Helios  
Dragonstone Castle, 1525  
Two weeks later, Cora wholeheartedly regretted asking for the Dark One’s help: had she known the consequences of that meeting, she never would have talked her father into finding him. After he cursed her, she blacked out, regaining consciousness in her chambers later that day. Her parents had caused a great commotion, demanding to know what the Dark One had done to her. Given the king and queen’s views on magic, she couldn’t tell them the truth- they would have locked her away until she realized her mistake. That was something she couldn’t afford- she had to find a way to counteract the curse before she gave birth. She may not feel emotionally attached to her firstborn, but no child should be forced to suffer in that regard. Especially the child that would be her ticket to the throne.   
Unfortunately, she quickly realized that any magical research had to wait. The constant, burning pain in her chest made preforming menial tasks unbearable. What was she going to do?  
“Ugh!” Cora practically ripped her bedroom door off its hinges in her anger.   
“If only I could…remove the damn thing!” And then it hit her, she could do just that. Remembering back to her childhood, there had been stories of a man in the kingdom that lost his wife in childbirth, and in his grief he reached into his chest and tore his own heart out so he wouldn’t have to feel anything ever again. She hadn’t believed it then, but maybe it was possible with magic?  
Cora searched her chambers for anything useful for the procedure: a jug of warm water, left there by her maid, a clean towel, in case there might be blood, and a wooden box to keep her heart in. It would have to do.  
Before she could change her mind, Cora took a deep breath and plunged her hand into her chest. It was an odd sensation, but it didn’t hurt as bad as she thought it would. Feeling around for her heart, she wrapped her fingers around it and pulled. There was certainly pain that time, but at least it was out, and she was still alive. Absolutely thrilled that it worked, and that she was no longer in pain, Cora carefully laid her pulsing heart in the box and hid it where no one would find it. She was vulnerable now- one hard squeeze and she’d be dead.   
“Now, what do I do with you, my child?” She ran a hand over her stomach with indifference- being pregnant was such an inconvenience. Which was an odd sentiment for her to have: in the past, she felt a sense of guilt for having to give up her child. But now, after removing her heart, the guilt disappeared and the pity turned to utter disdain.   
“Let’s see if mommy dearest can learn how to make portals. Then you’ll be out of my life forever!” The prospect was thrilling- she had several months to hone her craft, and then she could shift her focus onto seducing King Xavier’s son: Prince Henry. 

Six Months Later

“Get this wretched child out of me!” Cora screamed after another painful contraction, covered in a sheen layer of sweat. She had been in labor for twelve horrible hours, and had been an absolute terror to her attendants.   
“It won’t be much longer, Your Majesty.” One girl said, wiping down her face with a damp cloth. Cora swatted her hand away, gripping the headboard with considerable force.   
“You said that half an hour ago!” Across the room, a vase shattered. Magic was tied to emotion, and Cora’s were all over the place.   
“Now, Your Highness!” Everything was a blur, but within a few minutes of pushing she heard the cry of a newborn.   
“It’s a girl, madam.” The midwife announced, placing the baby on her chest. Cora held the child to her, breathing heavily.   
“You’ve done your job, now leave!” The ladies in waiting hesitated- usually someone would stay behind and assist the new mother with breastfeeding, but their employer’s word was law.   
“As you wish.” One by one, they saw themselves out, leaving the princess alone with her daughter.  
Cora waited until the sound of their footsteps receded down the hallway before setting her plan into action. The baby was gently removed from her chest and placed on the bed, enabling Cora to gather the few things her daughter would need for cross-realm travel. She chose a light green blanket from her closet and wrapped the baby in it, placing the bundle in a woven bassinet.   
“I’m sorry, little one, but you will not stop me from fulfilling my destiny.” The infant cooed at her from the bassinet, looking up at her mother with bright blue eyes.   
“You are going somewhere far, far away. A land called Oz.”   
Cora raised her hands to try and tap into her magic, but she was far too weak to do so just a half hour after giving birth. It didn’t deter her, however, as she knew that no one would bother her after she yelled at her staff the way she did. To pass the time, she read up on the royal family of Solis- the more information she had on her future fiancé, the better her plan would go. The newborn in the corner was not given a second glance.   
It was about two hours until she felt her strength returning. With the wand that she had recently crafted, Cora summoned a portal in her chambers, watching the swirling vortex grow large enough for its infant traveler.   
“Goodbye, Zelena.” As the portal swept up her crying child, Cora shed a single tear. It was all she would allow herself. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis  
Phoenix Castle, 1526   
“Your Majesty!” The messenger was practically tripping over himself in his haste to deliver some rather exciting news. News that would hopefully cheer up the king.   
“Yes, William?”   
“There’s a young woman here to see you- Princess Cora of Helios. Claims she can spin straw into gold.” King Xavier chuckled, now that was a good joke.   
“Very funny. We both know that’s impossible.”   
And it wasn’t for lack of trying: as word of the kingdom’s bankruptcy spread, many young men and women had come to the king proclaiming that they could do just that. To no one’s surprise, every single one had failed the task.   
“Why is she really here? Did she come with her parents? I forgot another meeting with Richard, didn’t I?”   
And it wasn’t as if anyone could learn magic: it was a hereditary gift in one way or another. It used to be commonplace, but saw a steady decline in use after the Great Purge. Long ago, religious fanatics gathered up a following and burned alive every known witch and wizard throughout the realm. Fortunately, they didn’t find them all. Concerned for their daughters’ safety, the kings of Camelot, Helios, and Lunaria hid their magical children away from the mob. They survived, and as a consequence, magic was confined to the royal bloodlines. This was kept secret, of course, in case of another rebellion. King Xavier knew this, and highly doubted Cora had magic. If she did, he would have known by now.   
“No, sire, she came of her own accord. Insisted on an audience with you, in fact.”   
“Fine, I will entertain her request. Send her in.”   
The last time Xavier had seen Cora, she had been a demure, polite little thing. It was the annual Summer Solstice ball, and she had arrived with her parents. He hadn’t taken too much interest in her then, as his son was not interested in an arraigned marriage at that time. But as he looked at the young woman in front of him now, exuding confidence, he had a change of heart. Things had changed, and now a match between her and his son was starting to sound appealing.   
“King Xavier, I am honored you agreed to see me.” She customarily curtseyed, waiting for him to nod his head in return.   
“It’s nice to see you again, Lady Cora. How are your parents?”  
“They’re well, Father is eagerly anticipating the hunting trip.”   
“I’m glad to hear of it. Now, what have you to show me?”   
Before her summons, he had arranged for a spinning wheel to be placed in the throne room, which she took a seat at when prompted.   
“I can offer you a solution to your kingdom’s financial woes. This straw I have before me will be turned into gold before your very eyes.” Xavier admired the girl’s courage, his reputation had painted him as a kind of tyrant, which wasn’t necessarily true. Desperate times called for desperate measures.   
“Very well, if you can do what you say, that deserves a reward. I will offer you my only son’s hand in marriage. He is a fine young man, and will make a great future king.” Cora grinned, knowing he had played right into her hands, and began spinning. A few minutes went by, and then fine golden strands began to emerge in between her hands.   
Xavier was surprised, no doubt, but knew this would benefit him. Not only would they be the richest kingdom in the Enchanted Forest, but his descendants would carry the trait, making Solis a rising power.   
“Well done Cora, you’ve earned him.” Xavier turned to William, who was loitering by the throne, and waved him over.   
“Bring me my son, I would like him to meet his future bride.” 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis  
Celestial Palace, 1527  
Cora and Henry’s wedding was everything one would expect of a royal affair: elegant, glamorous, and tasteful. The pair were married in front of nobility from every kingdom, and the event went off without incident. Two months later the couple were expecting, and before Cora knew it she was full term.   
“Almost done, Your Majesty.” The midwife stated, wiping down her face with a cold cloth.   
“Thank the gods!” Cora grunted, panting her way through another contraction.   
“You’ll have the baby on the next push.” And sure enough, she did. Another perfect, beautiful little girl.   
“Fetch the prince, he’ll want to see her.” The midwife barked at another attendant while settling the baby on her mother’s chest.   
“What’s her name, Your Highness?” Everyone in the palace had been eager to know for moths what the royal couple would name their child.   
“Princess Regina Ava Victoria, named for the queen she is destined to be.”   
Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis  
Celestial Palace, 1552  
“How could you, Mother?” Regina hissed, teeth bared. She had told Cora many, many times that she did not want an arranged marriage, and would choose her husband when the time was right.   
“How could I? Regina, you’re twenty-five years old! All the other royals your age are either married or engaged, I had to do something.” Regina was still extremely thirsty, and she was seriously considering sinking her teeth into Cora’s flesh. How dare she try and play that card?   
“Like betray my trust? You agreed that I could marry at my leisure, or did you forget?”  
“I agreed only because I thought you would be quick about it! But no, you toyed around with that…stable boy. Time’s up, Regina!” Yes, her time was certainly up.   
“Funny you should say that now, Mother. I won’t be marrying anyone, ever.”  
“Don’t be so dramatic, no one has to know what you are. Learn to control your thirst and everyone will be none the wiser.” Was Cora insane? This was not something Regina could just brush under the rug.   
“I can refuse the proposal, you know. Nothing’s set in stone.” Her mother laughed, but Regina didn’t see what was so funny.   
“If you do, I’ll tell Daniel the truth.” That went straight to her dead heart- there’s no way she could let Daniel find out. He was the only one, excluding her father, that really understood her. If he ever discovered what she truly was, Regina was afraid that he would have nothing to do with her. The thought alone was unbearable.   
“You win, Mother. I suppose I have no choice but to marry Leopold.” Cora grinned, patting Regina on the shoulder.   
“Good girl.” Regina hated when Cora talked to her condescendingly. She wasn’t some obedient lap dog.   
There was a knock at the door, and Regina went into a panic. She wasn’t ready for anyone to see her new appearance.   
“Ah, that would be your dinner.” Regina cringed at the mention of food, as it was a cruel reminder of what her new dietary requirements were. Cora ignored her daughter and crossed the room to let the stranger in.   
“Regina, what”- That’s all she registered before going into a haze, driven by the sudden desire for his blood: the second Regina heard his heartbeat and smelled his blood, she pounced. She thought she heard him scream, but it was too late now. Her primal instincts had taken over, causing her to growl and tear into his neck, in search of the crimson liquid that would sustain her for eternity. The payoff was divine, and she was barely sated before Cora was pulling her off the body of her first victim.   
“That’s enough, sweetheart. He’s dead.” Regina snapped out of her haze, and looked down in horror. The royal huntsman was laying at her feet.   
“You made me kill Graham?” She was distraught, collapsing on the floor in tears. Graham was a close family friend, and he didn’t deserve what she did to him.   
Cora waved her hand, Graham’s body disappearing from under Regina. Her daughter was becoming too emotional.   
“It’s kill or be killed, my love. Now clean yourself up, we leave for Leopold’s castle in the morning.”

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle, 1552  
It took four days of travel by carriage to reach Leopold’s castle, and Regina chose to spend each one brooding over Graham’s death. She had killed someone; she had murdered him because she couldn’t control herself. Cora had told her repeatedly that it was because she was a newborn, and that she shouldn’t dwell on it, but Regina couldn’t help it. She knew that people would have to die in order for her to live, it was a necessary evil, but she would choose her victims more carefully. She made a promise to herself that she would never harm an innocent or anyone she cared about ever again. This was why, as they rode along in the carriage, she blatantly refused any and all comfort her father tried to offer her.   
“Regina, please. You can’t let it consume you.” Cora had only told him the basics, what he needed to know, but he knew that look on his daughter’s face. Her grief was eating away at her soul.   
“I murdered him, Daddy. I’m a monster.” Henry tried once again to pull her into his arms, but she pushed him away.   
“I don’t want to hurt you.” Regina could hear the pounding of her father’s heart, but her resolve was stronger this time. It pained her to refuse him, but she wouldn’t chance it.   
“You won’t, mi princesa.” The mention of his nickname for her tore at her heart, and she turned away from him. Even looking at him was heartbreaking.   
“Just…leave me alone, Daddy. We’re almost at the castle.” This time, Henry obeyed, leaving Regina alone with her thoughts. 

Phobos Castle was well known throughout the Enchanted Forest for its unique architecture. Built by King William in a time of war, the royal residence was designed to have impenetrable defenses. The keep was surrounded by six guard towers, each covered in needle-like spires. Enclosing the entire structure were large blocks of granite shaped to look like long claws, making it difficult for opposing armies to siege. And it certainly was effective: in the two hundred years since its completion, no one had come close to toppling the intimidating fortress. Something King Leopold was extremely proud of.   
“Looks like someone may have been compensating for something.” Regina commented as they passed through the main gate.   
“Regina. Keep those remarks to yourself- they’re unladylike.”   
“As you wish, Mother.” Cora had been silent the whole trip, and once her lectures started, Regina had wished that her mother had stayed behind.   
“Chin up, Regina. You must make a good first impression.” Cora hissed into her ear as they disembarked from the carriage. Straightening her posture, Regina thanked the footman for his assistance and tried to prolong the inevitable by helping the coachman with the horses.   
“Daniel will see to them, my darling. King Leopold is expecting us.” Regina’s heart sank- Daniel had come with them. She knew that, as the stable master, it was expected of him to travel with the royal family and tend to their livestock as instructed. But she hadn’t spoken to him since her transformation: would he understand? Would he be afraid of her? Or, more importantly, would she hurt him? It was useless to torture herself with such thoughts, she told herself. Her mother would soon parade her in front of the king and his royal court, and Regina would accept his hand in marriage, becoming the queen her mother always wanted her to be. She would never see Daniel again. 

Regina originally thought that she would have a few hours to collect herself before meeting with the king and his court, but that turned out to be false. She was ushered inside the castle by several servants and taken immediately to a washroom to freshen up. They attended to her hair and makeup, and made sure the corset of her gown was laced properly. Having people so close to her made her nervous, but she found that actively engaging in conversation distracted her from the pull of their blood.   
“…. Princess Snow has absolutely raved about you since the hunting trip. We’ve all been dying to meet you, my lady.” One woman said, gathering Regina’s hair into a half twist.   
“I’m glad you think so highly of me.” And it was true: ever since she found out she was getting married, she became determined on winning the people’s approval. So far, so good.  
“Why wouldn’t we? You saved the princess’ life. The king has talked about it so much that the whole kingdom knows.”   
“He’s also bragged about his new bride’s beauty to the entire court!” That comment earned one attendant a few light smacks on the arm from the others.   
“Sophie! We don’t want to embarrass Her Majesty on the first day!” Regina would have blushed if she could have.   
“It’s alright, you didn’t mean any harm by it.” The attendant, Sophie, gave her a grateful smile as she placed a diamond tiara on Regina’s head. They were finished.  
The conversation came to an end when Cora grabbed her arm and led her down a corridor to the great hall, where she was sure the entire nobility was waiting. As she moved from one area of the castle to another, she was struck by its sheer extravagance: the woodwork was finely detailed, the stained glass windows impeccable, and even the ceilings were painted masterworks. But nothing compared to the great hall itself, which looked like it had taken half the kingdom’s gold to create. A gold decor that was also complemented by many types of jewels laid into the walls- Regina had never seen such a design, her kingdom was old fashioned in that regard.   
“Presenting Her Royal Highness, Princess Regina of Solis!” The guard announced as mother and daughter walked up to King Leopold’s throne. He looked like she remembered: covered in jewels and fine clothes, arrogant as ever. Snow White was seated beside him on his left, a massive smile on her face, and Regina couldn’t help but smile back. Henry, being the bride’s father, was on the right. In this case, because he was a monarch himself, Henry had been given the spot usually occupied by one of Leopold’s distant cousins. Her father looked content, but Regina saw right through it. He was extremely nervous.   
“Do you agree to this union, Henry?” Leopold asked, turning to his fellow sovereign. Henry voiced his consent, not taking eyes off of his daughter. Eyes that were meant to reassure and calm her. It didn’t work.   
“And you, Cora?” Her mother’s grip tightened, prepared for any resistance from Regina. Cora didn’t have to worry; she wasn’t going anywhere.   
“Of course, Your Highness.” Cora had placed Regina’s hand in Leopold’s as she responded, so that he could present his new fiancée with an engagement ring.   
“Then, with this ring, I betroth Her Highness Regina Ava Victoria of Helios to myself, His Highness Leopold Joseph Ferdinand of Lunaria. May the gods show their blessing.”   
The 8 carat ruby and diamond heirloom was then slid onto her finger, and Regina could do nothing but stare at it for the rest of the ceremony. It was a reminder that she was now bound to a man she didn’t love, and a life she didn’t ask for. 

The ladies of the court had wasted no time in crowding around her afterwards, dying to know all about their new monarch. Regina played along by telling them exactly what they wanted to hear: yes, she was thrilled about her marriage, yes, she loved the kingdom, and yes, she would have plenty of social gatherings. This seemed to placate the gossips, and she politely excused herself before her thirst reared its ugly head.   
She had been occupying her time by writing the day’s events in her journal, and she had just finished her true thoughts on the engagement when someone knocked on her door.   
“Your Majesty, it’s time for the banquet.” Regina’s entire being filled with dread: up until now, she had avoided taking her meals in public. Cora had masterfully come up with various reasons and excuses as to why her daughter was absent from the dining hall, but now that wasn’t going to work. She was expected to be seen at each and every meal as the queen, but how was she going to explain her new diet to people without arousing suspicion?  
“I’ll be right there!” Quickly, she made herself look presentable, powdering her face with blush to look less pale, and met the royal family for dinner. It went horribly. 

She was able to excuse away the lack of an appetite on nerves, but then one of the waiters accidentally cut himself serving the meats. It was a deep cut, too, with blood pouring out of his hand, and she rapidly averted her attention. Talking to her mother only helped so much- venom was pooling in her mouth, and if she didn’t rush out of there soon, that poor man was going to die by her hand.   
“Excuse me.” It came out strained, making it sound like she was going to be nauseous, but there was nothing she could do about it. As she ran out of the banquet hall, out into the corridor, she took a deep breath. It wasn’t helping: now that her senses had been triggered, she had to feed. Grabbing the next person to walk by, she dragged the poor soul out of sight and went straight for the jugular. Caught up in the bloodlust, Regina didn’t notice that Snow had followed her, concerned for her stepmother’s wellbeing.   
“Regina, are you feeling alright?” No response. The ten-year-old wasn’t giving up easily, inching closer to the figure curled up in a dark corner.   
“Regina? What are you doing?” The older woman looked up at her, breathing heavily, and Snow screamed in horror. Her eyes were halfway between her usual chocolate brown and the light amber of a vampire, but that wasn’t what terrified Snow. When Regina tore herself away from her victim, her fangs, now visible, were dripping in blood.   
“You killed him! You’re a monster!” Snow was now scrambling backwards, wanting nothing more than to get away from Regina.   
“No, Snow listen”- Regina tried to reason with the girl and explain that it wasn’t her fault, but the princess wasn’t having any of it.  
“I won’t let my father marry you. You’ll kill him too!”   
“Please give me a chance to explain, I’m still the same Regina that saved you from the horse!”   
“Stay away from me!” Snow ran off down the hall before Regina could say anything else, and she stood frozen on the spot. Cora was going to kill her. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Ravenswood Manor, 1552  
In the two hundred years since his turning, Rumplestiltskin had certainly lived up to the Dark One name. He had become well known throughout the realm for his extensive knowledge of magical artifacts, especially ones of a dangerous and taboo nature, and was frequently sought out by merchants looking to trade (and trade for) these valuable objects. Rumplestiltskin was more than happy to do business with them, but if they were wanting to buy from his personal collection, versus trade for it, it came with an additional cost. He didn’t like parting with his treasures for something as common as money, so to dissuade people from going through with it, he required a favor on top of the price. These favors matched the worth of the item: for a magical genie lamp, a year of servitude in his manor. And in return for an enchanted mirror, he would spy on them whenever he wished. Soon enough, fewer and fewer people wanted to pay such a steep price, and came to him only to trade objects in their possession. He was caught up in such a transaction when he heard about the upcoming royal wedding.   
“This is my offer- the fairy wand for your cobra staff.” Rumplestiltskin thought that to be a fair enough proposition for what the merchant was trading, but he had a feeling the man wouldn’t budge.   
“A fairy wand? This staff belonged to Jafar himself! It’s much more valuable than some subpar magical conduit.” He snorted- did the poor soul really think that Jafar was a sorcerer on par with Merlin or something?  
“Is it really? What do you know of fairy magic?”  
“Not much- just that it’s powered by pixie dust.” Well, at least he knew the basics.   
“Indeed it is, which lifts a lot of restrictions on conventional magic. For example, they don’t have to pay the price when using it. As long as enough pixie dust is available to power their spells, they get off scot-free. Incredibly advantageous to those who study dark magic, I might add.” The sales pitch went over nicely, Rumplestiltskin thought, as he saw the man’s eyes light up with understanding.   
“So why don’t all magicians use wands?” He knew this would be the first thing on his mind, from prior experience- the greedy weren’t particularly bright.  
“The fairies are secretive- these wands are impossible to obtain if you’re not one of them.”  
“Except you did.” He chuckled, remembering exactly how he acquired the artifact.   
The Blue Fairy had been too trusting, and of a vampire no less. He summoned her on the pretense that he needed help for a sickly friend, and she left him alone with one of her trainee’s to get the needed supplies. It had been too easy: he knocked out the younger, more naïve fairy with a wave of his hand, took her wand, and disappeared back to his manor. The Blue Fairy had never come to him again, understandably.   
“Yes, well, this particular wand I obtained after its original owner was…incapacitated.” The man just nodded along, not terribly interested in the details. He just wanted his new toy.   
“If what you say is true, then we have a deal.”   
Delighted, Rumplestiltskin had just drawn up a contract when his maid ran into the room waving around a letter. After taking a few seconds to catch her breath, she shoved the piece of parchment into her employer’s hands, clearly excited. 

“The king’s getting married, and you’re invited!” Belle exclaimed, barely containing her enthusiasm.   
He was about to berate the woman for interrupting them, but this was interesting news. Upon Queen Eva’s death three years ago, all the villagers could talk about was the search for a replacement. The court had put pressure on Leopold in order to speed things up, but nothing ever came of it. The king refused to marry for political advantage, and proclaimed that his future wife would be the woman that connected the most with his seven-year-old daughter. Naturally, a horde of available noblewomen threw themselves at him, but none truly took a shine to Princess Snow, so the matter was dropped. Rumplestiltskin’s mind was full of questions- what had changed?  
“Do tell, who is the blushing bride?”  
“Princess Regina of Solis, sir.” How convenient.   
“Oh? How did this arrangement come about?” He opened the letter to read the official time and place of the wedding- the 20th of November, four weeks away.   
“She saved Princess Snow from a runaway horse, and apparently the gesture was enough for the king to propose.” Rumplestiltskin hummed in response, writing his formal acceptance of the invitation as Belle spoke.   
“Take this to the palace, and tell them I will be in attendance.” Belle excused herself with a curtsey, leaving the two men alone.   
“You’re lucky, I’ve heard that anything involving the royals is quite the spectacle.”   
“Indeed. Anyway, shall we sign this contract?” As the merchant was finalizing his signature, Rumplestiltskin was deep in thought.   
He remembered the night he bit Regina, and if his calculations were correct, the future queen was a month old vampire. Still young, still impulsive and impressionable. This could work in his favor: as her senior, he had a certain amount of control over her. After all, his venom created her, and she would submit to him whether she liked it or not. He would teach her how to blend in with mortal society and help hone her magical talents, talents he was sure she inherited from Cora, and she would obey his every command. If all went to plan, he would have control over the entire kingdom of Lunaria, and no one would suspect a thing. But first, he had to get Regina to trust him, and that involved a great deal of cunning manipulation. Fortunately, he was well versed in the art of deception. This was going to be an easy victory. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle, 1552  
Snow White had kept to herself after her traumatizing encounter with Regina. The image of her soon-to-be stepmother covered in blood, some poor guard lying dead at her feet, was burned into her mind even days after the incident. She didn’t know what to do about the situation, so she avoided anything involving social interaction. And so far, no one had noticed anything was the matter. That was excluding her father, who was currently in her chambers trying to figure out what was bothering his usually extroverted daughter.   
“Nothing’s wrong with me, Father. I just don’t want to talk to anyone right now.” Snow grumbled, curled up in bed.  
“Why not? Tell me, my darling.” Leopold sat himself on the edge of the mattress, squeezing her hand. The king was concerned: the only other time Snow closed herself off from everyone was when her mother died. But nothing of the sort was happening currently, so he was at a loss for what was troubling Snow.   
“Remember when Regina got sick at the banquet?”  
“Yes, and you kindly went after her, and all was well. Wasn’t it?” Snow refused to look him in the eye, and Leopold had a feeling that whatever the princess said next would be unsettling.   
“Not exactly…but you have to promise to believe me, Father.”   
“Of course, dearest. Now go on, tell your old man your troubles.” Snow took a deep breath and finally met her father’s gaze.   
“When I ran after Regina, I couldn’t find her at first. She was faster than me, and took off down the corridor. I wandered about for a bit, and then heard a strange noise. I followed the sound, and I ended up near the south wing- close to the guest quarters.” Leopold could tell that she was hesitating, and rubbed her shoulder encouragingly.   
“She was backed into a corner, leaning over something. Curious, I tried to get her attention- to see if she was well. She didn’t respond right away, but then she lifted her head.” Snow gulped, knowing that it was now or never. She had to reveal Regina’s secret.   
“I’ve never seen such horror, Father! There was a palace guard at her feet, unmoving, and she was feeding off him!” Leopold was taken aback. Surely his daughter wasn’t insinuating that his future bride was a murderer?  
“Now Snow, I’m sure it was all a misunderstanding”-  
“No! He had bite marks on his neck, and she had fangs, Daddy! Blood was dripping off them, and her eyes, daddy! Her eyes! You can’t marry her, you can’t!” Snow dissolved into sobs, and the king automatically wrapped her in his embrace.   
What his daughter had vividly described was the appearance of a vampire: creatures that hadn’t been seen in Lunaria for hundreds of years. While he had no doubt Snow was telling the truth, she was also a child, with a child’s imagination. It was possible that Regina could belong to the legion of undead, but highly unlikely.   
“I’ll look into it, little one. Will that satisfy you?” Snow’s crying stopped, and she nodded against him.   
“Good. Now get some sleep, we have quite the day tomorrow.”   
Leopold tucked his daughter in bed and began to gather his thoughts. Would he investigate Regina? Probably not. The whole idea was ridiculous, but he had to placate Snow somehow. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t a private conversation. 

Daniel hadn’t meant to overhear Leopold’s discussion with his daughter, but it was late and he decided to take the shortcut to his bedroom, which involved passing through the north wing belonging to the royals. The princess’ chamber door was cracked to a degree, he noticed as he walked by, and caught a few words that drew his attention: “Regina…bite marks…blood”. Concerned that Regina was injured, he stopped to listen more carefully- without being detected, of course. What he heard was horrifying.   
“Regina killed someone?” He whispered to himself in a state of shock. The woman he knew would never commit such an atrocity, and he liked to think he knew her fairly well.   
Years ago, in desperate need of employment, he arrived in Solis hoping to find work as a stable hand for the royal family. He was more than qualified, spending his apprenticeship in Camelot under Stable Master Gawain, and easily landed the job. It didn’t take him long to find out that the crown princess was training to be an equestrian, and quickly took a shine to her beauty and kindness. They had kept the extent of their relationship a secret from Queen Cora, of course, as it was expected that Regina would marry a prince or king. An expectation which came true, much to his dismay.   
“What in bloody hell happened?” Daniel continued to ask himself, unable to process what he had just heard. Regina was a gentle soul- bright, cheerful, and compassionate. Assuming Princess Snow’s story was true, then something horrible must have occurred. An accident, that’s all it was. And he refused to dwell on the second half of the conversation: that accusation couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t. But there was only one way to know for sure- he would have to go talk to Regina. 

“Daniel, wait! Please, just listen to me!” Regina cried, running after his retreating form.   
When her lover had come to her in a panic, asking her if she had indeed committed murder, she was stunned into silence, and didn’t know how to respond. Regina had no idea where he heard such rumors, but as much as she wanted to dismiss them, they were true. She was indeed a criminal, and a monster. But Daniel hadn’t called her a vampire, so she assumed he didn’t know the whole truth.   
“Do you deny it?” Gods, he couldn’t even look at her directly. And it was killing her.   
“No. I…did take his life.” He inhaled sharply, and swatted her hand away from his shoulder, disgusted.  
“Why?” Regina knew he would ask her that, but could she really tell him the truth?  
“Out of necessity, I promise you! Please, you don’t know all the details!” Daniel whipped around to face her, suddenly infuriated.   
“Are you sure about that? I know plenty. When I laid my hand on your wrist, I couldn’t find a pulse. Your skin was ice cold, and your fangs are visible when you speak. Do you want to say it or should I?” Regina bristled, wiping away a few stray tears. So he did know.   
“It’s not what you think. I was attacked by Rumplestiltskin, he turned me about a month ago.” She was freely crying now, realizing that her relationship with Daniel was surely over after this conversation. Who in their right mind would continue to associate with such a creature?  
“I’m so sorry, I know that’s no excuse. But I would never hurt you, Daniel.”  
“I love you Regina, I really do, but I can’t take that chance.” He looked as unhappy as she was, but he was putting his life at risk by being with her. And besides, she was engaged to King Leopold. This had to end either way.  
“Who told you?” Her voice was trembling, and she rejected all of his attempts at comforting her. He was breaking her heart- he had no right to touch her.   
“I overheard Princess Snow…. she was talking to her father about her encounter with you in the hallway.”   
Regina shook with fury: that little brat had just ruined her life. She had begged the princess to stay silent, but no. The insufferable gremlin couldn’t keep a secret and now Daniel wanted nothing to do with her. To make matters worse, the king knew, and now he would likely call off the wedding, and Cora would be furious.   
“Just go, Daniel. If that’s how you feel, then I hope you’re happy with whatever peasant you end up marrying.” Regina knew that was harsh, but she wanted it to hurt.   
“Goodbye Regina. Enjoy your trophy wife pedestal.”   
The future queen stormed out of the room without a second glance at her now ex-lover, full of anger and a desire for vengeance. Snow would pay. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Luminescent Gardens, 1552  
The queen’s garden, the most secluded area of the royal wing, took up most of the castle’s northern courtyard. Traditionally known as the Luminescent Garden, the space was acclaimed for its unique purple and blue color scheme. Designed to appeal to the tastes of Queen Elisabeth, wife of King William, the garden was composed of roses, irises, hydrangeas, wisterias, orchids, and foxgloves in varying shades of purple and blue. Multiple benches lined the stone pathways, and in the center of the courtyard was a large fountain topped with two interlocking fairies. There was a small portion of the garden that housed fruit trees, added later by Queen Margaret, and would eventually become the favored private quarters of the upcoming queen.   
“I don’t know what to do, Daddy.” Regina whined, placing her head on his shoulder.   
Shortly after hearing of his daughter’s distress, Henry had tracked her down to this garden, where he found her aimlessly wandering the courtyard in circles. She was clearly distraught, so he carefully approached her and guided her to one of the vine covered benches.   
“What exactly were his words, my darling?”  
“He doesn’t want to chance it, thinks I’ll hurt him.” She collapsed into sobs, reminded once again that her beloved Daniel viewed her as nothing more than a monster. And it was all Snow’s fault.   
Regina couldn’t remember feeling so angry, but the response wasn’t as petty as it seemed: fury of this magnitude had developed as a way to mask her pain. She couldn’t properly express her sorrow because of Cora, so she had turned it into the next best thing: wrath. Regina knew these weren’t healthy thoughts to have constantly- the vision of her strangling the life out of a ten-year-old girl, but they were so damn satisfying.   
“It’s his loss, Regina. You are worth more than what you give yourself credit for. You are my daughter- heiress of Solis, champion equestrian, and gifted scholar. This condition of yours does not make you any less of a person. If Daniel can’t see that, then he’s not worth your tears.” Henry stroked her hair in a calming attempt: hoping that his words would serve their purpose. He had to get Regina to rise above her affliction and carry on with things, because the opposite would send her into a never-ending downward spiral of depression.   
Her father had a point, but the seeds of vengeance had already been planted. Regina wouldn’t dare to carry it out right away- she was raised to be smarter than that. She needed to put on the front of the kind and caring queen, gain her people’s trust and approval. And then, once she had built a favorable reputation, she would formulate a plan to get rid of Princess Snow for good. Maybe all this was just the vampire talking, but was being evil really so awful?   
“This wouldn’t be an issue if Snow kept her mouth shut like I asked.” Her voice now carried a sinister tone to it that Henry didn’t like. He would have to keep an eye on her.   
“She’s only ten. Any child witnessing…that…would have the same reaction. Don’t blame her for it. Blame Daniel. He’s the one that betrayed your trust.” While deep down she knew that her father was right, a part of her refused to accept it. She would find a way to get her revenge, rationality be damned.   
“I suppose the wedding’s still on, then?” Regina asked, making clear her desire to end the discussion about Daniel and Snow. It was doing nothing to quell her rage.   
“Scheduled for the end of November, as planned.” He got up from the bench, pulling his daughter to her feet.   
“Let’s focus on the positives, yes? You’re marrying a kind and noble man in charge of a powerful kingdom, you should be pleased.” Regina huffed in dissatisfaction, but followed Henry back inside the castle. She would tolerate all the pomp and circumstance that went along with a royal wedding, but the whole affair left a sour taste in her mouth. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle: Hall of Mirrors, 1552  
If Cora dared to bother her one more time about the bloody guest list, she was going to explode. No, she didn’t care who attended the accursed event, and no- she didn’t want to interact with any of them. But this was just the latest mother-daughter argument, following disputes over the design of her dress, the menu for dinner, and the decorations. The problem was: Cora cared too much, and she cared too little. It made for heated confrontations with a fiery exchange of insults- the latter causing Regina to storm off. Cora was never too far behind.   
“Regina!” Cora shouted, running as fast as possible with the skirt of her dress gathered in both hands.   
“I’m not having this discussion anymore. Do what you want, you always do in the end.” She had to keep her temper in check- as she had come to learn, it emphasized her thirst, made her more aware of it. Complete control was something she hadn’t yet mastered, unfortunately.   
“You’re acting ridiculous, just take a minute to calm down and we’ll talk things over.” Cora had tried to touch her, but got pushed away.   
“Don’t patronize me, Mother!” Regina growled, sounding more and more like the demon many thought she was the angrier she got. There was a sudden pulse, making the windows shake with the force of it.   
“Regina…” Cora recognized the pulse as a form of magic, and had to talk her daughter off the proverbial ledge. Being untrained, she could really harm herself.   
“For the last time”- Whatever Regina was going to say was interrupted by the arrival of a certain mischievous imp.   
“Well well well, what do we have here?” The voice’s childlike quality was a dead giveaway- it was him.   
Mother and daughter turned to look at each other, their quarrel suddenly forgotten. If the Dark One bothered to grace anyone with his presence, it wasn’t for anything good.   
“You look quite terrifying, dearie!” The sorcerer continued, and Regina had immediately cursed herself for running off into the direction of one of the castle’s most famous rooms. The opulence matched the rest of the royal residence in the amount of gold alone, but when combined with multiple crystal chandeliers and a floor length mirror panel every fifteen feet, the result was breathtaking. And it was the excess of mirrors that Regina was cursing under her breath- it showcased her true nature to anyone present no matter where she stood: there was no protection from outside scrutiny.   
“Thanks to you, or have you forgotten?” Although this was her first encounter with the Dark One since he turned her, she wasn’t intimidated. She was tired, frustrated, and consumed with the desire for her stepdaughter’s blood. Anything else took a back seat, including proper respect for the most powerful man in the realm.   
“Now now, no need to get testy.” Rumplestiltskin appeared to be immensely enjoying himself, but Cora wasn’t having any of it at the moment.   
“Why are you here, Dark One?” His playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a frown and an accusatory finger pointed at his former student.   
“Stay out of my business, Cora. But if you must know, I’m here for the wedding- as is most everyone in this castle.”   
“That may be, but the wedding’s a fortnight away. What else brings you here?” The elder vampire waved towards an apprehensive Regina.   
“Her, of course.” Cora scoffed, beginning to realize the hidden truth.   
“I won’t allow it. I will do it myself- this does not concern you.” Regina turned towards her mother after a few minutes of banter, confused and panicked.   
“What is everyone talking about?” Her shout had snapped the two acquaintances out of the moment, both irritated.   
“Your gifts. It seems that the Dark One believes he can tutor you best. I disagree.”   
“You mean my magic.” Cora nodded, seemingly displeased by the turn of the conversation.   
“Well, why not him? Yes, he violated me without consent, and I will never forgive him for that, but he would know my unique…characteristics better than anyone. He’s also been alive a lot longer than you, Mother. If he wants to tutor me, and only tutor me, then I have no objections.”   
Regina’s speech was exactly what Rumplestiltskin wanted to hear; now all that was left was removing pesky Cora from the picture.   
“Regina, he will corrupt you beyond measure. I am a trained sorceress; I can teach you just as well as he can. That way I can supervise your lessons and make sure you are safe.” Cora pleaded, trying to appeal to her daughter’s desire to keep herself secure and secluded. This, naturally, did not go over well.   
“You just want to control me and everything I do! No, I will become his student and there is nothing you can do about it!” Regina spat, head held high and posture stiff and confident. She had surely won the argument- Cora wouldn’t push the limits of her control, not when she had witnessed her devour many a servant after a heated argument.   
“Watch me.” Cora extended a hand outwards in an aggressive position, meant for combat magic. Rumplestiltskin was quicker, though, halting her movements with a wave of his hand.   
“I can’t let you interfere, Cora. That wasn’t part of our deal.” The Dark One circled around the room until he found a mirror suitable enough to make a portal. Regina could only watch as he maneuvered her mother in front of the now shimmering mirror, eyes wide in fear. What did he mean by a deal? What had her mother done?  
“Don’t fret, Cora. A queen she was named for, and a queen she shall be.” Regina saw the panic register in her mother’s eyes right before she was pushed into the portal, disappearing forever.   
Rumplestiltskin, pleased with his handiwork, faced his new student with an unsettling grin.   
“Wonderland. Good place to go for a reality check.” Regina didn’t understand what he meant, but offered a small smile in return.   
“Now, before we start your lessons, I believe a certain someone is getting married- yes? The political power will serve you well, remember that.” Regina said nothing and instead followed her new companion back through the castle. The initial happiness she felt at defying her mother was gone: yes, she was going to become a trained sorceress, but at what cost? What had occurred between her mother and the Dark One? Regina hoped that she hadn’t just made a horrible mistake. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Ravenswood Manor, 1552  
“Rumplestiltskin, you bloody wretch!” Cora yelled, using magic to blow open the main gate that would allow her access to the massive manor estate.   
“My daughter has no knowledge of what passed between us all those years ago!” The foyer was empty, but Cora knew better. The Dark One preferred to keep watch from the shadows.   
“Wasn’t one curse on the poor girl satisfactory? I was willing to let it slide, but this time you went too far!” Enraged, she flung a fireball at his portrait that hung on the far wall.   
“Damn you, Rumplestiltskin! Damn you to the deepest pits of hell!” She was breathing heavily- just the thought of Regina’s new condition was enough to boil her blood.   
After a few minutes of watching Cora lash out, which was highly amusing on his end, the Dark One finally made himself known to the rabid queen.   
“Someone else beat you to it, I’m afraid. But thanks for the sentiment!” He giggled, circling her like a hunter before his prey.   
“And now that you mention it- How is dear Regina doing these days? Her blood was the sweetest I’ve had in decades!” He was mocking her unashamedly, throwing Regina’s plight back in her face. And she hated every second of it.   
“Just tell me why, Dark One.” Cora spat, in no mood for his games and riddles.   
“Were you even paying attention to the second half of my curse? The part where I get to claim ownership of your children? Your bloodline?” Cora suddenly had difficulty breathing- children? But that would mean….  
“What have you done with Zelena?” The response was instinctual, one engrained in a mother’s very nature. She may have sent away her firstborn, but a part of her cared very much about the wellbeing of her eldest. A very tiny fraction.   
“Now you show concern for the child you threw away? Fascinating. But to answer your question, where do you think I got the idea for Regina’s curse?” Cora’s eyes narrowed dangerously, as if she completely forgot who she was dealing with.   
“Don’t get cryptic on me, dearie, or I’ll string up your maid like a wash line!” A flash of anger washed over the vampire’s face, but it was gone in an instant.   
“I didn’t decide to act on our little agreement until I found myself in need of an apprentice. Menial tasks, busy work, and all that nonsense. But anyway, as you know, the only witches and wizards left are either supernatural creatures like myself or royalty.” He smirked at Cora, and she scowled in return.  
“I did my research, and as it turns out, the only bloodline that currently has any magical talent is yours. Fancy that.” While it didn’t surprise her, it certainly made her want to protect Regina with all she had- her daughter (well, both of them she supposed) was now a significant target.   
“So I tracked down your firstborn to a realm called Oz and we had a little talk. But, being what I am, I was tempted by her blood. Before I could stop myself, I bit her, turned her. It was completely euphoric; imagine witch blood as fine wine to an alcoholic.”   
This was not what Cora wanted to hear: because of this traumatic event, her firstborn would likely try to track her down, and Cora couldn’t allow that. It would thwart all of her plans for Regina to become queen. Her only solace was that Zelena was in Oz, and had no easy way to cross realms.   
“Zelena became my student after the fact, but the idea stayed with me. I had to have Regina, claim her as I did her sister. It was the perfect punishment for you, Cora.” Oh no, she had a feeling it was more than just a petty punishment. But she knew she wouldn’t get the truth from this deranged shell of a man.   
“You are an absolute monster. I hope my eldest gave you hell!”  
“I don’t know about that, but she certainly gave The Wizard a run for his money. After I finished tutoring her and returned to the Enchanted Forest, I received word that she kicked the miserable sod out of the Emerald Palace and declared herself Empress of Oz. You should be proud of her, Cora. She’s quite powerful.” That same tiny fraction that cared about Zelena was berating itself over a missed opportunity: Zelena had gone and taken over an entire realm, while Regina was kicking and screaming her way to the throne.  
“I won’t let you tutor Regina! You’re mental!” Cora exclaimed with conviction. As a vampire, it would be extremely difficult to have a high profile marriage and keep the secret.   
“You interfere in any way, and I’ll tell her all about her exiled sister.” Damn, he was good. She didn’t have the luxury to refuse him, either. Yet again, the Dark One had gotten his way.  
“Fine. But I want to know everything. No secrets, no hidden agenda. Deal?” Rumplestiltskin smiled so enthusiastically that it revealed his large fangs.   
“Deal.” 

Oz: Central Region   
Viridian City, 1550  
Cora had no way of knowing, of course, that her magically gifted newborn would end up in Oz- the absolute worst place in recent years to send such a child.   
A land known for its lush forests and vibrant cities, Oz was the place to go if one wanted to study magic. Before the revolution, witches and wizards of all nationalities gathered in the capital city of Viridian as apprentices of Arthur Pendragon, who studied under Merlin himself. But then, trouble grew in one of the four territories- the West. The cardinal Witch of the West at the time, Celine, had broken the third law of magic by creating a time manipulation spell that allowed her to alter past events. However, it went horribly wrong, killing her and much of the Western Territory. To prevent this from ever happening again, President Ozbourne banned the practice of magic and burned all of Celine’s research. So it’s no surprise that when Zelena’s tornado landed in Oz, it drew a lot of attention.   
Ultimately, it was decided that the baby would be raised by a newly wedded couple in Viridian, a woodcutter and a dressmaker. No one suspected that the child was special in any way until the infant teleported herself into her mother’s arms. Terrified, George begged his wife to get rid of Zelena, afraid of her magic, but ended up losing the argument. They would raise her like any set of parents would, and hope for the best. Fifteen years later, Alma died of pneumonia and left Zelena with a soon to be abusive father. With Alma gone, he was free to do as he liked- which included physically and emotionally assaulting his daughter.

Ten Years Later- Cromwell Residence

“I’m sorry Father, I was only trying to help!” She exclaimed, looking down at her trembling hands.   
“What have I told you time and time again, girl?” He yelled, grabbing her before she could run out of the room.   
George had been drinking down at the pub with the usual patrons when he had gotten drunk enough to accidentally stab himself with a knife. Staggering home, wound open and bleeding, his shouts of pain were enough to wake Zelena- who rushed to help. Without even thinking about it, she held her palm over the injury and let her magic take over. She didn’t realize her mistake before it was too late, and her father spun into a rage.   
“My magic is wicked and not to be trusted.” Zelena replied, her response weak and lacking in confidence.   
“That’s right, freak.” He yanked her head up by pulling on a handful of red curls, and smacked her across the face.   
“Next time I’ll cut your blasted hands off, do you hear me?” The blue eyed ginger nodded, quickly excusing herself from his presence to make dinner. Her father wouldn’t tolerate a delay of any kind.   
As she was bent over the stove, Zelena was determined to prove to her father that magic wasn’t wicked- that she wasn’t wicked. All she had to do was find a willing teacher, one that would help her harness her powers for good. There was only one problem with that plan: she would have to sneak into the Citadel for information on a potential tutor- the restricted mage’s tower. Good thing she had magic. 

 

Oz: Central Region  
The Citadel, 1550  
The Citadel used to be one of the architectural landmarks of Viridian, its stone spire rising high above the cityscape. Now, after suffering decades of neglect, the foundation began to decay and crumble. The many stained glass windows were cracked in places, and the roof was missing a few tiles. However, while covered in cobwebs, the interior remained intact. No one had dared to loot the place, believing it to be cursed, and so the library endured. Bookshelves lined all of the tower’s three stories, covering a whole range of topics: the primal elements, combat magic, a number of healing spells, and even necromancy. The tower didn’t judge.   
Beyond the massive library, the tower was fully equipped with a training room and a large dormitory- perfectly suited for Zelena’s needs. She broke in rather easily, meaning that she didn’t have to. Upon arrival, she noticed that the door was cracked open.   
“How strange…I could have sworn that this place was locked.” Zelena mumbled to herself, immediately coughing as she entered the ground floor. Everything was covered in layers of dust, but she was surprised to find that all the candles had been lit, leading her to believe that someone else was here with her.   
“Am I interrupting something?” She yelled, a feeling of dread setting in. Here she was, a young, vulnerable woman alone in a dark tower with a person that potentially wanted to do her harm. Zelena prayed that wasn’t the case, stepping forward into the light, eyes falling upon a strange looking man with sparkling skin.   
“Finally! I was starting to get impatient!” Before she could question what he meant by that, he was suddenly in front of her holding her by the wrist.   
“Let’s see if I was right…” He quickly slit her palm deep enough to draw blood, letting it drip down into a vial. Zelena cried out in pain, drawing her hand away from the stranger’s grasp.   
“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” She shrieked, watching him swirl the vial until it turned blue.   
“Checking the authenticity of my investment. You are indeed Cora’s firstborn!” Zelena assumed that Cora was her birth mother’s name, but she didn’t care to know anything else about the woman that abandoned her.   
“So what do you want with me? I came here to find information on anyone that might be able to tutor me in magic.” Zelena observed that he didn’t seem phased by this revelation, and then it hit her.   
“I don’t suppose you can help me with that?”   
“Why else would I be here, dearie? I came to find...you!” He punctuated his statement with a lavish hand gesture towards her.   
“Me? What makes me so special?”   
“Nothing, yet. It’s not about what you can do, it’s about what you will be able to do. Interested?” Zelena was cautious- something about this man made her blood run cold, but what choice did she have? If she wanted to prove her father wrong, then taking his offer was her only option.   
“I am.” She reached forward to shake his hand, surprised to find it ice cold.   
“Zelena Cromwell, nice to meet you.”  
Rumplestiltskin didn’t want to get his hopes up, in case this girl wasn’t the one he was looking for. But why wouldn’t she be? Cora’s blood, which he had acquired without her knowledge, had pointed him in the direction of Oz. Knowing the local opinion about witches, he knew that she hadn’t been trained. The obvious place to check was the Citadel, if she knew about it. Rumplestiltskin reasoned that she would, only because she was at an age where her magic was getting harder and harder to hide. She would, he hoped, be at the Citadel when he found her. And he was right, although he was a bit surprised that this was her first visit to the tower. Better late than never, he supposed.   
But then his intentions crumbled when he went to confirm her parentage. She was a beautiful young woman, took after her mother in that regard, but her blood. Sweet gods, just the scent of her blood was enough to drive him mad. He had forgotten how potent and alluring witch blood was to a vampire, and had to restrain himself before he scared her off.   
So she had come to find a tutor: he couldn’t have asked for better timing. After successfully convincing her to become his apprentice, she leaned closer to him, shortening the distance between the two. How he wished she hadn’t of done that.   
“Zelena Cromwell, nice to meet you.” He could practically taste her now, and the temptation was just too great. The beast in him would have its way.   
“The name’s Rumplestiltskin, my dear.” His fangs found purchase in her neck shortly after, causing her to howl in unimaginable pain. But as the crimson ambrosia filled his mouth, and the venom her veins, Zelena’s screams were no more. She had gone limp in his arms: dead, in a manner of speaking. 

Oz: Western Territory  
Beaumont Chateau, 1550  
Celine Beaumont never expected to die in a magical accident. She considered herself to be fairly ambitious, and held herself to a higher intellectual standard than her sister witches. Instead of wasting precious time catering to The Wizard, Celine isolated herself in her Western Territory estate and honed her craft. But soon she became bored, and needed a challenge. Time travel was her topic of choice, simply because it was taboo in the magical community.   
She renovated her chateau to fit her needs, choosing to work out of her home for one simple reason: security. Celine barely trusted the Citadel with mundane knowledge, much less her priceless research. And Rumplestiltskin knew this- he knew that a sorceress as clever as Celine Beaumont would never let her discoveries fall into the wrong hands. The burned research President Ozbourne found? A fake. Only Celiene knew the exact location of the real time travel spell, but Rumplestiltskin had a feeling it was hidden somewhere in the Beaumont Chateau. And he was going to find it. The fact that it was also a perfect training ground for his new protégée was merely an added bonus. 

Unlike Regina’s transformation, Zelena’s was oddly calm. She quickly realized what was happening to her, and began to panic. When that proved to be futile, only catalyzing the transformation process, she did the only thing she could do in that situation: she gave in. Instead of fighting the venom, fighting the pain, she surrendered to it. As a result, the time she spent unconscious was simply uncomfortable rather than unbearable. When she did reawaken, it was with a renewed sense of purpose. She felt…reborn.   
“How long was I out?” She asked, immediately sensing Rumplestiltskin’s presence in the bedroom.   
“Three days.” He drawled, slightly confused. Why was she so accepting of her fate?  
“You even put me to bed. How thoughtful.” She slowly got out of bed, stretching undead muscles.   
“Where am I, if you don’t mind me asking?”  
“The West- Celine Beaumont’s estate.” Rumplestiltskin kept observing her for any signs of trauma, distaste, anger, anything than what she was displaying now.   
“You’re not in any way irate for what I did to you? I made you a monster!” Zelena shook her head, voluminous curls bouncing in every direction.   
“Oddly, no. I should be- you ripped me away from my home and bestowed upon me what many would call a fate worse than death, but you did me a favor. Not only did you make me immortal, you strengthened my magic- made it more powerful. I have all the tools I need to become a cardinal witch of Oz and prove everyone wrong about my magic, thanks to you.” She began analyzing her reflection in the mirror across the room, washing any remaining blood off of her skin and taming her fiery mane.   
“I admit, this was not my preferred method to go about that, but what’s done is done.” Zelena noticed that there was a red velvet dress laid out for her on the back of the chaise lounge, and went to the adjoining bathroom to change, leaving Rumplestiltskin dumbfounded where he stood. He wasn’t expecting this kind of reaction, but in the end he decided not to question it. They were getting along fairly well, so why jinx it?   
“Are there any villages close by? I’m starving!” Zelena’s accented voice rang from the distance, and Rumplestiltskin couldn’t help but smirk. They were going to have a lot of fun together. 

Six Months Later

“You remember what I taught you? Focus the anger, picture the fireball in your hand, and release!”   
Zelena stood at the center of what they assumed to be the ballroom, now empty and perfect for combat training, determined and fully confident in her growing abilities. Rumplestiltskin had recently taught her how to put her magic to use in a fight, and she was all too willing to apply the lesson to a training session. Per her mentor’s instruction, she channeled her rage into a flowing stream of energy that traveled down to her open hand and flared out into a moderately sized ball of green fire, which was then lobbed at the target down the length of the space. That time she hit it dead on.   
“Very good! Now try it with ice instead of fire!” They had been practicing all of the primal elements, as Zelena was a fast learner. With another strained yell, the witch released a snowball that froze the center of the target.   
“Again! Less noise this time! You don’t want to sound weak.”  
This went on and on until the eldest Mills daughter declared she had enough and walked over to the Dark One, who handed her a crystal goblet full of fresh blood- her reward for a hard day’s work.   
“Thirsty?” He giggled, eyes glowing as he watched her drain the vial with enthusiasm.  
“You already know the answer to that.” She countered, exchanging the empty glass for a full one that he provided.   
“I’ve been thinking…what if you used your natural thirst to your advantage?” This got her attention- she was always eager to learn new things, especially those involving the sinister and macabre.   
“Go on.” He led her back to the middle of the room, this time joining her in the dueling ring. They began warm up exercises of throwing and dodging conjured weaponry- small knives, fireballs, etc, until Rumplestiltskin closed the distance between them and held out a bracelet.   
“There will be times where you won’t have access to your magic.” He stated, slapping the leather cuff on her wrist before she could move, effectively blocking her magic. Zelena yelped in pain, not used to having what was essentially a second blood supply cut off. The Dark One resumed his place opposite her and took a fighting stance.   
“Your teeth are just as good a weapon- use them!” Growling, she launched herself at her mentor, sharp nails slashing his perfectly tailored jacket. He was able to get a few well placed punches in before she swiftly slipped behind him and held him in a headlock- her fangs lightly scraped his jugular vein, ready to strike.   
“I’m impressed.” He said, signaling for her to release him from her hold.   
“With a little finesse you’ll be unstoppable.” Zelena looked smug, as if this wasn’t news.   
“I know. It’s only been six months and we’ve gone through Celine’s entire library.” Rumplestiltskin held up a finger, clearly to make an interruption.   
“Not entirely. There’s still the matter of her time travel spell.” Zelena scoffed, rolling her eyes at him.   
“Don’t be ridiculous. Everyone knows it was destroyed in the revolution.”  
“That’s just a lie they tell the public to keep them from rioting. The copy they destroyed was a fake.” Zelena’s eyebrows were slightly raised at the reveal. “The real one is somewhere in this estate.”   
“Is it, now?” Her tone was indifferent, but her eyes gave away barely concealed excitement.   
“That’s my theory, if the word of the Citadel scholars can be believed.”  
“So what happens if we find the spell? We go back in time?” Zelena was cautiously optimistic- the logistics of time travel were largely unknown. Consequently, there was a large amount of risk associated with tampering in such a matter.   
“Of course! We go back in time and save my son from an early grave!” This surprised the witch- the Dark One had a son long ago? But what ended up being voiced was-  
“This sounds like it only benefits you. What do I get out of it?”   
“Fame and recognition as my accomplice. What more could you want?” She was right. Months and months of reassurance that she was being trained for some great cause was just a cover. And it made her furious.   
“So coming here was all part of your plan. You never wanted me as your student, you just wanted me to find that damn spell!” She began hurling fireballs at him, making sure it was clear to him just how betrayed she felt.   
“Leave!” The command left her mouth as a hiss, and Rumplestiltskin decided to cut his losses. If he wanted to keep her under his control, he had to make her think she had the upper hand.   
“As you wish, dearie!” The Dark One teleported back to the Enchanted Forest with a wave of his hand, leaving a flustered Zelena alone in Celine’s chateau.   
She was furious at her mentor for deceiving her, but soon enough that anger turned into determination. Since that time travel spell was so important to Rumplestiltskin, she was going to make it her mission to find it. 

“Innocence…love…courage…wisdom?” Zelena mumbled to herself, repeating the mantra over and over again. The select words were all that she could make out from the charred remains of the burned copy she dug up at the Citadel. They were clearly a set of ingredients or instructions, but the witch couldn’t make them out. In a moment of desperation, she tried to recall what she knew about Celine Beaumont. It wasn’t much- the typical mannerisms of a sorceress and her role in the rebellion, but one thing stuck out. After spending months in the abandoned home, Zelena noticed that the library was unusually organized. Not that organization was unusual in itself, but it was the way it was organized that was unusual. Each book had a series of six numbers and a letter, obviously meant to correlate to Roman numerals (it was an archaic method, but it worked). And then it became clear to Zelena that the random ingredients weren’t ingredients at all.   
“Innocence- that’s I, so one, Love- that’s L, so fifty….” She kept going until she had the six-digit code 150100-W. Running to the appropriate section- the history of the Western Territory- she pulled out the book with the matching serial number. In between the pages was an old, folded up piece of paper written in elvish: she had succeeded.   
“I’ll show you wicked, dearie!” The witch cackled, overcome with a desire to knock Rumplestiltskin off his high pedestal. He had underestimated her. Hell, they had all underestimated her. 

Oz: Northern Province  
Frosted Fortress, 1552  
Traditionally, Oz had four cardinal witches governing each of the four domains: North, South, East, and West. They were usually chosen by their predecessors in a complex and ancient ritual, one that symbolized harmony and unity of the people of Oz. The last coven of witches to be initiated this way were a group of four ambitious young women: Glinda, Vivienne, Elena, and Celine. Everything was fine until Celine went rogue, condemning the rest of her coven, and resulting in the end of all magical practices in Oz. Vivienne and Elena were long dead, but Glinda survived.   
It was all thanks to Celine: in a rare moment of kindness, the Witch of the West gave Glinda her Elixir of Life. It was a prototype, but Celine sensed that she wouldn’t be around for much longer, and wanted to ensure that their coven would survive. And Glinda hated her for it.   
Not long after President Ozbourne banned magic, Glinda had retreated to the North afraid for her life, barricading herself inside the Frosted Fortress. It always snowed in the Northern Province, and with a few choice enchantments, the region was impossible to traverse on foot. This kept her safe from unwanted attention, and she lived her eternal life in peace, but she soon grew to be incredibly lonely. Glinda blamed Celine for this, for the solitude, but kept busy designing and improving her castle.   
It was a magnificent structure. Built to resemble Gothic architecture, the castle was designed around two domes that sat on different elevations, surrounded by stone arches and spires intricately connected by a series of bridges and staircases. Because of Glinda’s spell, the entire fortress was covered in a sheen layer of ice and snow, giving the impression that it had been frozen solid. And it was here that Zelena found herself, shivering from the cold.   
“I admit I was surprised to receive your summons, Glinda. No one’s heard from you in centuries.” The vampire brushed the mountain of snow off her dress, taking a seat across from the fabled sorceress.   
“For reasons that shall remain private, I’m afraid.” The blonde’s icy stare was enough to chill Zelena’s already cold blood, and it was the first time in two years that she had felt intimidated.   
“I was aware of your arrival in Oz the moment the tornado touched down in Viridian City.” Zelena’s eyebrows rose, but the redhead made no other indication of surprise.   
“Oh come now, did you really think a cardinal witch wouldn’t recognize the presence of one of her own? I have been waiting for an event like yours to happen for hundreds of years. I’m just irritated it took this long.” Zelena said nothing, just gestured for the witch to continue.   
“But you’re not from this realm, your magic is different. The Enchanted Forest, if I’m not mistaken.” Glinda took a sip from her wine goblet, taking a minute to gather herself.   
“You’re probably wondering why I didn’t make contact earlier- well, you were just an infant, and I wanted to wait to see what you would grow into. While The Dark One’s intervention was…displeasing, I must say, the West has suited you well my dear.” Zelena could do nothing but stare at this woman, amazed at how much she knew for being isolated like she was.   
Glinda Fontaine, dressed in a silver embroidered white silk gown, was a physically striking woman. With her sharp facial features, gray eyes, and platinum blonde hair, she looked every bit the frosty queen of the North.   
“Fascinating, but you still haven’t explained why you brought me here.” Zelena bluntly stated, covering her anxiety with confidence.   
“As you know, magic is banned in Oz, and The Wizard and his minions uphold that law. Well, I’m tired of it. That man has run this great realm into the ground, and the environment is suffering for it.”   
“Like the magic has been sucked out of the air?”  
“Precisely. Without the cardinal witches, the natural order is off balance. Now, I would go confront that moron myself, but I’d be captured as soon as I set foot in the Emerald Palace. But you, you are an unknown face. You could glide right under their noses and take the capital back.” Zelena’s eyes widened- she wasn’t expecting this.   
“Me? That’s a bold assumption.” Glinda laughed, leaning back in her armchair.  
“Is it? Zelena, you underestimate just how powerful you are.” Did she? Zelena had spent the last two years building her strength as a sorceress, but apparently she had much to learn.  
“Let’s say for the sake of argument I’m successful. What do you want out of it?”  
“An alliance. With magic reinstated in the realm, we’re sure to have enemies. I only want to restore the coven to what it once was.” It was a solid proposal, and Glinda would be a strong ally to have, so she accepted.   
“I accept, on the condition that I call myself Empress of Oz.” Zelena smirked, knowing that Glinda was on the same train of thought.  
“I wouldn’t expect anything less of you, cardinal witch of the West.” The new title coming from Glinda’s mouth was quite the honor, and Zelena truly felt like Glinda was the sister she never had. The ice queen stood up and motioned for Zelena to follow her upstairs to the east wing.  
“Let’s not waste any time, there’s so much I must teach you.” And with that, the two women formed a plan to overthrow the ineffective government of Oz, one that would make Zelena the most intimidating witch in the realm. 

Oz: Central Region  
Viridian City, 1552  
“Excuse me, sir, but you look…deprived.” Zelena purred, straddling the lap of some lowly palace guard.   
“Allow me to remedy that.” In order to be believed as a local brothel whore, she rolled her hips a few times and pushed the man’s face into her chest.   
“You don’t see many fire-haired wenches in Oz these days.” The man groaned, eager to grab a fistful of Zelena’s luscious curls.   
“A fine gift for The Wizard, don’t you think?” She provoked, hoping the man would pick up on her insinuation.   
“If he’ll see you.” Zelena bit down on his shoulder hard enough to break the skin, but not draw blood.   
“Alright, I’ll give him the message. Wait here, lass.” Satisfied, Zelena got off his lap and situated herself on one of the tavern benches. Everything was going according to plan.   
Looking for anything they could use to their advantage, Glinda suggested that she parade around the city as a whore, knowing that her unique hair color would be desirable among the men of Oz. All she had to do was seduce a few palace guards, and hope that The Wizard would take an interest in her- demanding that she be brought inside the palace. This was in line with Zelena’s style: she hated unnecessary bloodshed- it only drew unwanted attention.   
Once inside, she knew she had to be quick and efficient with as little use of her magic as possible- they were trying to get the people of Oz to accept magic, not fear it. Of course, this could only be accomplished after she quenched her thirst, making it so she had to feed before entering the Emerald Palace. While waiting for the guard to come back, she took advantage of the few men drunkenly stumbling around outside the tavern, and no one suspected a thing.   
“Lass!” The guard had come back with a few friends, no doubt for protection.   
“If you’ll come with me.” Zelena nodded, following the soldiers out of the tavern and through the bustling city to the central square, where the palace was located.   
The Emerald Palace, famous for its baroque design, was constructed using all green materials- marble, glass, stone, and tile. Accented by gold molding, the palace’s six domed towers were enclosed by a wall paved in actual emeralds. It was certainly ornate, and would make a fine home for the soon-to-be empress.   
“The Wizard will call for you shortly.” The guard escorting her said, and left her in the foyer to await further instruction.   
Zelena had waited until she was completely alone before magically changing into an outfit better suited for a sorceress of her stature. The two-piece ensemble was a black and gold silk dress that cut out the midriff, coming together as a halter around her neck and across her hips. She picked gold scaled heeled boots and gloves to accessorize, along with a large emerald pendant that she wore to clasp the bust of her dress together. It was a scandalous outfit that left little to the imagination, and that’s how Zelena liked it. She came across as powerful and intimidating, but also provocative. It’s how she got men to fall into her bed- men she would feed from after being intimate with them.   
“He’s ready for you, Miss.” The guard had announced after fifteen minutes, and was somewhat shocked by her choice in outfit. The usual…ladies of the night tended to wear clothes that were plain and easily removable. Zelena’s dress was neither, even with the amount of bare skin showing.   
“You look a little…overdressed, but who am I to question The Wizard’s tastes?” Zelena let the comment slide, choosing to follow her escort to the far end of the palace. The Wizard’s suite was isolated from the rest of the royal residence, no doubt to keep people away.   
“Here we are.” They stopped outside a set of large ornate doors, and the guard knocked three times.   
“One of us will be by to collect you in the morning.” Zelena chuckled, these poor fools had no idea what was in store for their employer.   
“Understood.” With that, she slipped into the Wizards chambers, ready to enact her plan. 

The room was barely visible, but Zelena could make out a robed figure lying in bed. He looked up from his reading when he heard her enter, and motioned for her to come closer.   
“Come here, girl. Let me take a look at you.” Internalizing her disgust at being ordered around, she obeyed, and got a full view of the man everyone in Oz worshiped.   
He was ordinary looking, short of stature, and somewhat portly. Upon laying eyes on the sorceress in front of him, and all of her shapely assets, he perked up considerably. Zelena interpreted this to mean that he hadn’t been laid in some time.  
“Cedric wasn’t lying; you are a goddess!” He pulled her towards the edge of the bed, and ran his hands up her legs.   
“A bit pale, and cold, but I can live with it.” The Wizard was getting a little too touchy-feely for her tastes, so she pushed his hands away.   
“Take your clothes off and join me under the covers.” She was going to do no such thing, but she had to get closer to him- lure him into a sense of security. Stripping down to her underwear was a nice compromise, so she wasted no time in doing so and proceeded to lie on top of him. But before he moved things along any further, she had straddled him and wrapped both hands around his throat.   
“Did you honestly believe I’d allow you to touch me?” She growled, increasing the pressure of her vice-like grip. He flailed his arms about, trying to throw her off him, but found out that she was much, much stronger.   
“Cat got your tongue?” Zelena taunted, running a sharp nail down his cheek. He looked terrified, and she found it hysterical.   
“Here, let me take care of that.” She let go of his windpipe, but still held him down with her hips, preventing him from attacking her.   
“Who…who are you?” He spat out, coughing.   
“The cardinal Witch of the West, but you can call me Zelena.” The Wizard soon went as pale as the vampire on top of him. He had allowed a witch into the palace- and he had no idea what she wanted.   
“Why are you here?”  
“To get rid of you!” She moved her face within inches from the The Wizard’s. “You have run this realm straight into the ground with your incompetence. Oz has run on magic since the beginning of time, and it always will. Banning what you don’t understand is not only moronic, but weak!” Zelena froze him in place and picked her clothes up off the floor, getting dressed.  
“Glinda and I are going to put the coven back together and restore the traditional way of life.” Zelena paused, letting the venomous saliva pool in her mouth. “After you’re gone, of course.” She grinned, allowing The Wizard to view her sharp fangs. He was never more afraid for his life as he was right now- he may be a con artist, but he knew this woman wasn’t playing him.   
“I was going to kill you, but if I am to be Empress of Oz, I’ll need a loyal servant.” She bent over his prone form and positioned her teeth at his jugular vein, preparing herself for the transformation.   
“This may hurt just a little.” That was all the warning The Wizard received before Zelena bit into his neck, feasting on his blood. 

“Oz will never bow down to the likes of you!” The Wizard, who revealed to Zelena that his name was Walsh, hissed at his new mistress. He hadn’t taken to the undead lifestyle very well, spending all of his time cursing at and arguing with the redheaded sorceress.   
“That’s where you’re wrong!” She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out onto the balcony.   
“Remember the address you’re supposed to give today?” He nodded, but because of his predicament he hadn’t thought about it much.   
“Well, change of plans. You’re going to tell the people of Oz the truth.” Walsh initially refused, but feared what else Zelena planned to do to him if he didn’t comply.   
“I hope you’re enjoying yourself.” He spat, watching the crowd pour into the square at a steady pace.   
“Absolutely!” She stepped back into the shadows, eager to witness the moment where the people would finally see through Walsh’s charade. 

“People of Oz! I know that you’ve come to the capital expecting the usual update on the state of things, but today I must confess something to you.” His voice was amplified through a sort of enchantment that allowed him to broadcast to the entire city. Zelena wondered if it was Glinda’s handiwork, because it certainly wasn’t her own.   
“I am not the man you believe me to be!” Confused murmurs rang through the crowd, mutterings of imposter and fraud were among the most common voiced.   
“I have no special talent, I do not and never did possess magic, so I am certainly not a wizard. I have deceived you all, and I am deeply sorry.” People were shocked and angry, as they had every right to be. Their government was a sham, brainwashing its citizens into compliance with the new regime.   
“What’s going on?” Someone voiced, more of same soon to follow. The Wizard put his hand up to silence them all, before they started rioting.   
“When I first came here, as you remember, you believed me to be a powerful wizard. I claimed to settle The Beast by magic, but I really used a device of my own invention.” As he spoke, Zelena observed the crowd and was delighted to see looks of complete dismay on their faces. She was going to have an easy time convincing them to trust her.   
“You trusted me, and I abused it with my laws. I banned magic because I was afraid of it.” As the truth was revealed, more and more unrest grew among the crowd.  
“Because of you, all of the cardinal witches are gone! We have no protection against The Beast!” The Beast was what the residents of Oz liked to call a weather pattern akin to a hurricane, and believed that they were kept safe by the cardinal witches. When The Wizard took power, he reassured the people that he was keeping The Beast at bay, but he really wasn’t. Oz just hadn’t had bad weather in the time of his reign.   
“You do now!” Zelena’s voice cut off whatever Walsh was about to say, as the sorceress joined the con artist out on the balcony. The people didn’t know what to make of her at first, but were interested in what she had to say on the matter.  
“Allow me to introduce myself- I am your cardinal Witch of the West, Zelena.” There were astonished gasps and shouts from many members of the audience, no doubt surprised that there were still witches in Oz.  
“I was given the title by Glinda herself.” That had immediately gained her respect and a fair amount of trust (after getting over the fact that the Witch of the North was very much alive), as Glinda was known to the people as a fair and just woman.   
“Just like many of you, I was disgusted and horrified to hear the truth about the Wizard. So here’s what I propose: we impeach the fraud!” She received cheers of assent, which made her thrilled. This was going smoother than she initially thought.   
“But who will take his place?” Someone in the crowd yelled, getting many echoed sentiments.   
“I will.” No one voiced complaints of any sort, so she continued.   
“I promise you, as your empress, that things will go back to the way they were before. Glinda and I will restore the Citadel to its former glory, and we will bring magic back to the realm. You will no longer live in fear of The Beast, and will never be lied to again!” People were clapping and cheering, even more so when Zelena teleported herself and Walsh out to the middle of the square, the latter tied up and gagged.  
“Now you may notice that this man looks a bit different than what you remember of him. That’s my doing- a fitting punishment, but is it enough?” The crowd shouted no, caught up in the mob mentality. They had chosen their new leader, and were willing to go along with whatever she said.   
“I agree. I intended for him to be my servant, but he doesn’t wish to be my “pet”, as he calls it.” She began chanting, hands glowing green.   
“Shall I turn him into one?” The crowd cheered, excited at seeing magic on display once again.  
Zelena waved her hands over Walsh, enveloping him in green smoke. When it lifted, it revealed a winged monkey perched inside a gilded cage.   
“Much better, don’t you think?” The monkey inside growled, nipping at her through the bars. She laughed, sending her new pet away with a flick of her wrist. The crowd couldn’t get enough, yelling and cheering her name.  
“Hail Empress Zelena!”   
“Long live Her Imperial Majesty!” She hadn’t been officially crowned yet, but the people didn’t care. In their eyes, she was fully deserving of the title. And later, when the emerald tiara of Princess Ozma finally touched her head, she couldn’t help but think to herself:   
“Father can call me wicked all he wants, but wicked always wins!” 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
St. Stephen’s Cathedral, 1552  
Regina had always loved the snow. Ever since she was a young girl, the beginnings of a new snowfall would have the princess immediately run outside just to feel the first snowflakes kiss her skin. It was always to the dismay of her mother, who would scold her for being improperly dressed. Regina didn’t care, as long as she got to throw snowballs at the palace guards stationed at the main gate, for they were always willing to entertain their young ward. And sometimes her father would join her, and they would build an army of snowmen worthy of protecting the kingdom. They were some of Regina’s most treasured memories, but she would soon grow to hate winter, for it would be a reminder of the day she married the king.  
That morning the princess was greeted with heavy snowfall, and she took it as a sign that her marriage was blessed by the gods- that all her concerns were invalid. So, she started her day feeling optimistic, letting her handmaidens dress her and tend to her hair. It took two hours, but she emerged from her chambers calm and relaxed, gliding down the grand staircase with a newfound grace. Henry was already there waiting for her, and escorted his daughter out of the castle to the carriage that would take them to the cathedral.   
“You look beautiful, Regina. Leopold is a lucky man.” Henry commented as they pulled out of the castle courtyard, the carriage pulled by four of Regina’s finest horses.   
“Thank you Father.” Her reply was quiet and automatic, as if she’d heard the statement millions of times before. But Henry wasn’t exaggerating: the royal dressmaker had outdone herself.  
Regina’s wedding dress was a masterpiece. On order from the king to use only the finest materials, the gown was constructed using white and silver silks and satins, imported diamonds and pearls from Solis, and aquamarines from Lunaria to symbolize the union of the two kingdoms. The corset was heavily beaded, and the skirt full and flowing. Her grandmother’s bridal tiara was brought from the royal treasury for the occasion, and it accented the dress perfectly. Regina looked like a goddess of winter, and took everyone’s breath away as she stepped out of the carriage.   
“I’m so proud of you my darling.” Henry whispered, helping his daughter with the length train of her dress.   
“Tell that to me after this is over.” Regina responded, nerves beginning to make their appearance. She couldn’t help it, there were about two thousand people waiting for her inside the cathedral, dying to get a glimpse of their queen.   
“Just breathe, and focus on the altar. Don’t think about the crowd, it’ll only make things worse.” Regina stiffened her posture, gripping her father’s arm tightly as they waited for the bridal chorus to begin playing. The anticipation was almost too much, and the eventual arrival of the music did little to ease her fears.   
Tentatively, she made her way down the main aisle that seemed to stretch on endlessly, making her walk agonizing. Regina’s sight was hindered by the veil over her face, but she could feel the eyes of countless noblemen and women on her as she moved past them- judging her. Her father had to place his hand on her back to keep her upright, and without his presence by her side, she would have fled far away by now. But then, she finally reached the altar, and Henry’s comforting hand was replaced by that of her new husband’s.   
“I love you, Regina.” Her father’s parting words would stay with her for years, as they were the last time someone would express genuine love for her.   
She glanced around her as the priest gave his opening remarks, noticing Princess Snow and her various cousins seated up front- the young girl giving her a reassuring smile. Regina couldn’t for obvious reasons smile back, but the gesture was appreciated.   
“We are gathered here today to witness the union of this man, His Royal Highness Leopold Nathaniel, and this woman, Her Royal Highness Regina Ava Victoria, in holy matrimony. If anyone present can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined, speak now or forever hold their peace.” As Regina expected, it was silent- no one would dare go against the king’s wishes.   
She didn’t pay attention to the rest of the ceremony, and was brought out of her reverie only when it was time to exchange vows.   
“Leopold, do you take Regina to be your wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?” Regina picked up on the irony of the question, as she was sure her father and Rumplestiltskin did as well. Technically, in the eyes of the church, she was dead.   
“I do.” Leopold sounded sincere, and the bride took that with a grain of salt. She had only met the man a handful of times, and was still deciding what she thought of him. Could she trust him?  
The question was readdressed to her, and she answered accordingly. Her veil was then lifted so the couple could exchange rings.   
“I now pronounce the couple husband and wife. His Majesty may now kiss the bride!” Leopold took her in his arms and kissed her, heated lips meeting ice cold ones. If he noticed, he didn’t seem to mind. The crowd erupted in applause, but all Regina could think about was the fact that she was now tied to a man that didn’t love her.   
When it was time for the king and queen to make their way back down the aisle, Regina caught sight of the Dark One among the congregation. It wasn’t surprising, as she knew he had been sent a formal invitation, but that wasn’t the only reason he had attended her wedding. He had come to remind her that she had a deal to uphold, that she was indebted to him, and would be for a prolonged period of time. And in that moment, the last piece of her happiness was taken from her, as her new husband later would her body. Regina Soler, Princess of Solis, was dead. Long live the Queen.


	2. Queen Regnant

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Ravenswood Manor, 1553  
“We’re going to learn something new today.” Rumplestiltskin walked over to one of the massive bookshelves lining his library and pulled out a jeweled tome, placing it on the table in front of his guest.   
“No fireball practice?” The Queen complained, extinguishing the one already in her hand.   
“And just when I was getting comfortable with it, too.” She added, leaning back against the chair she sat in. Rumplestiltskin ignored her pout and continued gathering materials for that day’s task, the most notable being an ornately carved wooden box.   
“How’s the crown treating you, Your Majesty?” The question came out of nowhere, as they often did with him, but she failed to see how this related to their lessons.   
“Why do you ask?” The Dark One just motioned for her to keep talking, finally seating himself at the table opposite her.   
“It’s heavy, superficial, and impossibly crushing.” Regina scowled, pulling the many pins out of her up do one by one. “They call me the Child Queen; do you know that?” The title was to be expected, as the king was old enough to be her father, but it irritated her nonetheless.   
“I’m expected to just sit there and look pretty. No one gives a damn about my wellbeing.” Rumplestiltskin played the part of sympathetic friend, nodding along and making sounds of acknowledgement as she continued her rant.   
“Not even your husband?” The question succeeded in provoking the Queen’s rage, and she threw a fireball at one of his decorative vases.   
“Especially my husband. When he’s not constantly mistaking me for his dead wife, he’s showering Snow with attention. I don’t even think he knows my name, let alone the first thing about me.” Regina was spinning herself into a frenzy, and was well on her way to igniting her thirst for blood. Rumplestiltskin knew this, and planned on it.  
“What are you going to do about it?”  
“Rip out that girl’s throat with my teeth!” She hissed, knocking over one of the candelabras. “She did this to me! Shackled me with this life!” Regina was breathing heavily, pupils dilated and her expression wild.   
“I want you to focus on the simmering rage you felt just now. It’s the core of today’s lesson.” Rumplestiltskin turned to a page in the book describing possession, and passed it to his protégée.   
“Today, I will teach you how to manipulate free will!” He waved his hand, and a random man appeared before them. Regina had to will herself to stay put- she hadn’t eaten today, and the pulse of his heart was driving her mad.   
“Free will is an illusion- we are all slaves to human nature.” Rumplestiltskin accentuated his point by reaching in and ripping the man’s heart straight from his chest, causing the poor soul to cry out in pain.  
“You see- it’s not the brain that controls us, but the heart.” Rumplestiltskin tossed the beating organ between his hands, toying with it.   
“The heart is what drives our emotions, our reasoning. For example, every murderous thought you’ve ever had was because of this fragile mass of tissue.” He tossed the heart to Regina, who was beginning to catch on.   
“And if you control the heart, you control the person?” Rumplestiltskin giggled in delight- his student was proving to quite the return on his investment.   
“All you have to do is reach into the chest, pull it out, and it’s yours for the taking!” Regina grinned, giving the beating organ a squeeze. Her forehead wrinkled a bit when the man under her control convulsed, dropping to the floor in agony.   
“Crush a heart into dust and the person dies.” Her mentor added, taking it from her to put in the wooden box.   
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Regina was half listening, instead she was focusing on all the lowly peasants and palace servants she could have under her control. With everyone on her side, they would see Snow White for who she really was: a vindictive brat.   
“Be careful, Regina.” Rumplestiltskin had seen the trademark glint of madness enter her eyes for a split second before it retreated, and he sighed. He couldn’t have the queen lose her mind before he got his shot at the throne, or his years of planning would all be for nothing.   
“Now that you have tasted darkness, it will begin to taste you. It doesn’t mind who or what you are. If you’re not cautious, it will consume you.”   
The Queen brushed off his warning as ridiculous- she was in no danger of becoming mentally unstable. That label was reserved for him.   
“If you’re quite done, I’d like to sample the meal you have so graciously provided us.” Regina stated, staring at the heartless man like a woman starved. Rumplestiltskin’s demonstration had reminded her just how thirsty she was, and she wasn’t about to leave the manor unsatisfied.   
“Of course. After you, Your Majesty.” Regina, not in the mood to waste time, launched herself at her prey. Off to the side, Rumplestiltskin watched her feed, chuckling to himself all the while. He expected that, given time, the Queen would develop into a considerably formidable monarch.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Ravenswood Manor, 1555  
A few months into her reign, Regina realized that she could not kill Snow White. Not immediately, anyway. Killing the princess would raise suspicion, and fingers would point at the only foreigner in court: her. She would likely be executed, if not burned alive for witchcraft, and then what would happen to her father? Regina wouldn’t risk it, not as long as she was married to the king. Of course, she could get rid of him first, leaving Snow White vulnerable, but then her subjects would demand her head on a spike. She’d be outnumbered.   
Then there was the matter of physical evidence- if she bit the girl, it would put her secret at risk. With that not being an option, the only thing left to do would be to acquire her heart and crush it. And that brought her back to her first problem. So, Regina decided to bide her time and wait for the king to fall ill, which seemed likely given his old age. But two years later, the Queen was beginning to get impatient.   
“I can’t take this anymore!” Regina snapped one day during her lessons, throwing the spell tome across the room.   
“You’ll have to be more specific, dearie.” Rumplestiltskin sassed, unaffected by the monarch’s current tantrum.   
“This life! Being queen! Waiting for my wretched old husband to die!” Regina stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Rumplestiltskin, however, was taken aback.   
“Not the explanation I was expecting from you. Tired of power already?”  
“I never wanted power, you know that.” She began pacing, tearing at the crown on her head.   
“I just wanted to fall in love, have a family.” Her mentor scoffed, this was Cora’s daughter?   
“Love? Love never conquered the world, dearie.” Regina stopped in her tracks, preparing a counter argument, but he continued on. “Power, however, is the one thing that will never fail you.” The Queen wasn’t impressed.   
“Stop being so sympathetic, you might hurt something.” She laid the sarcasm on thick, indicating that her walls were back up.   
“Now this about the king? We can make quick work of that little problem.” Her eyebrow raised in curiosity.   
“How so?”  
“Why wait for him to die, when poisoning him is so much easier?” Was he really suggesting poison? Like she hadn’t thought of that already?  
“It won’t work. It’s too obvious.”   
“Not like that! I’m proposing something along the lines of a snake bite…an accident.”   
“There are no snakes in Lunaria. Unless you have a contact deep in the Agrabah desert…” The Dark One grinned, and suddenly it all became clear.   
“Of course you do. You want to smuggle the Agrabah Viper into the castle, don’t you?”  
“No, I want you to do it.” With a wave of his hand, a large crate appeared on the table.   
“The king, I’m assuming, does not regularly warm your bed?” Regina glared at him, indicating that the topic wasn’t up for discussion.   
“He hasn’t since the first night, claimed he didn’t enjoy it.” Regina knew that was a cover- the real reason her husband hadn’t slept with her since was because he had sensed something…off about his new wife. He never confronted her about it, but Regina knew she unsettled him. It was an instinctual human reaction.  
“Then, you should have no problem setting loose this viper in his bedroom when he’s asleep. The next morning, collect it and present it to the court, acting the part of his distraught young wife. They’ll believe every word you say, and control of the kingdom will be yours!” This sounded too good to be true, so naturally the Queen was skeptical of the Dark One’s true intentions.   
“What do you get out of it? Why help me after all this time?”  
“I have my reasons. Now get out, before I change my mind!” Feeling slightly insulted, the Queen gathered up the crate and teleported back to her castle without another word.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle, 1555  
“How dare he throw me out like one of his servants!” Regina growled, storming down the castle corridors in a rapidly worsening mood, viper box still in hand. While she didn’t appreciate being dismissed in such a manner, she was more concerned with the fact that her dear mentor was withholding information from her. Did he not view her as his equal? It was disconcerting, because as far she knew, he had always spoken highly of her to his business partners. But, she couldn’t dwell on this much longer, as she had already reached the wing containing her chambers, guarded by two of her best soldiers.   
“Stuart!” She barked at the guard closest to her.   
“Go find my father and bring him to me. There’s an important matter I wish to discuss with him.” The Black Knight nodded once, and quickly scampered off in the direction of the kitchens. Regina hummed in approval, and swept past Godrick to await King Henry’s arrival in the luxury of her bedroom.

“I don’t suppose this matter has anything to do with the Dark One?” Henry huffed, taking a seat on the scarlet red chaise by the window. Regina glanced up from her book, surprised to see him in such a state- normally he was a jovial and optimistic soul. What had gotten into him lately?  
“Actually, it does. I was hoping you’d be in a better mood- otherwise what I have to discuss might upset you further.” The monarch deadpanned, gesturing to the box on her vanity with a flourish.   
“What is that, Regina? Another one of his spells? Some horrible trinket?” The King didn’t give his daughter a chance to respond, deciding instead to launch into a well-deserved parental lecture.   
“Never mind that, I have to get something off my chest that’s been bothering me for months! Ever since you became that imp’s student, doing lord knows what in that manor of his, you’ve been neglecting your duties as queen!” Regina flinched. She didn’t think her behavior had been that out of line.   
“Daddy”-   
“Please don’t argue with me Regina, I only want what’s best for you! Do you really think you can gallivant off for hours at a time and think no one will notice? Because the King certainly has!”   
Henry was at his wit’s end with his daughter’s nonchalant attitude toward her royal title- if she didn’t change her ways, people would start to talk.   
“I’ve been making up excuse after excuse on your behalf, it’s a miracle that he hasn’t suspected anything yet. Going forward you have to start spending time with Leopold and the Princess. Show up to state banquets, have tea with the noblewomen, oversee social gatherings, and the like. Promise me, Regina.”   
All the yelling had upset the captive reptile, who began to loudly hiss. And as if Henry needed another reminder about his daughter’s true nature, she unconsciously hissed back, her face set in a fang-baring snarl. It was instinctual, acting on the primal desire to establish herself as the apex predator.   
“Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Regina mumbled, blinking a few times to clear her head.   
“And yes, I promise.” She couldn’t bare to see whatever look of horror was plastered across her father’s face, so she turned towards the box and lifted the lid, removing the viper inside.   
“This is what I wanted to discuss.” Henry watched the snake slowly slither its way up Regina’s arm, coiling around her bicep.   
“What on Earth are you doing with an Agrabah viper?” Her father asked, already dreading the answer to that.   
“Instead of waiting for Leopold to die,” Regina drawled, stroking the viper’s head with her index finger.  
“I’m going to kill him!” Henry just stared at Regina, more afraid for her life than he ever had been. If she somehow succeeded, and was found guilty of regicide, there was nothing he could do to save her. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle: Crystal Ballroom, 1555  
Plotting the murder of her husband had taken up most of her time, so before she knew it, it was the beginning of December: the month of her stepdaughter’s birthday. The realization had irritated her to no end, seeing as the insufferable brat would no doubt have a grand ball thrown in her honor, one which the king was expected to attend. If she killed him prior to that event, Snow would whine and wail for weeks about her poor father’s absence on such an important day, and Regina didn’t want to hear it. Her relationship with the girl was only for show, to keep up appearances, and once Leopold was out of the picture the farce could finally end. Hell, Regina was convinced that the Princess hadn’t looked at her the same since witnessing one of her feedings.   
And within the fortnight, the castle was soon bustling with activity hurrying to decorate it for Snow’s annual ball, for which noblemen and women would gather from across the Enchanted Forest to congratulate the young girl on her name day. Adorning the guest list this year was King Midas and his daughter Kathryn from Estrella, King George and his son David from Nyx, Queen Gerda and her daughter Elsa from Arendelle, and many others Regina was sure she’d have to interact with. Every year she’d try to make small talk with the other royals, and try not to roll her eyes in the process, but this year was different: it would be the last.   
Once the day of the ball had finally come around, Phobos Castle was covered in a thick layer of snow. Much like the events of her birth, a blizzard had graced the kingdom, to the thirteen-year-old Princess’ absolute delight. She had refused to settle down, fidgeting all throughout her dress fitting like a child and driving Regina half mad with the desire to just strangle the girl right then and there. When all was said and done, the Princess looking like the snowflake she was, Regina left for her own dress fitting. This year, she was going to make a statement.  
The gown she had her dressmaker construct was a corseted piece with a full, flowing skirt. Made of ice blue and silver silk chiffon, the corset was sheer, breasts covered only by glittering vines and frosted snowdrops embroidered into the fabric. Pinned into her elaborate half-updo was a diamond icicle-shaped tiara, complementing the silver stilettos hidden under the gown’s skirt. With any luck, she’d be the envy of the ball. Leopold would be a fool to pass up a dance or two with her, his drop dead gorgeous wife.   
And the assembled crowd seemed to agree, staring at her the minute she glided onto the overlooking balcony of the ballroom. A room reserved for the grandest of occasions, the Crystal Ballroom seemed to be glowing from the inside, thanks to the floating lights and chandeliers courtesy of the Blue Fairy. Of all the elaborate decorations, the ice sculpture centerpiece, carved into the shape of a tiered fountain, was Regina’s favorite- it was enchanted to gush sparkling wine (for the older guests). She may be a vampire, but thanks to her magic, it didn’t affect her alcohol consumption.   
“You look absolutely stunning, my dear.” Leopold stated, meeting her at the top of the marble staircase.   
“These winter themed parties always seem to suit you best.” He trailed a hand down her arm, pulling her closer to him. Regina’s face wrinkled in disgust, but only for a split second. Then, the couple walked up to the railing, Leopold tapping on his glass of wine for silence.  
“I want to thank you all for coming tonight, for braving this particular snowstorm. It means the world to us…” Regina stopped listening past the opening remark, as she knew it would be Leopold rambling and bragging on about precious Snow White, but she did her best to smile and nod when prompted.   
“…. welcome the King and Queen of Sherwood and their son Robert!” That caught Regina’s attention. Sherwood? Why would the Locksley’s travel hundreds of miles for a birthday celebration, of all things?  
“I hope our great houses will be joined when dear Snow becomes of age.” There it was, the big announcement of the night. She wasn’t surprised, given her own marriage, but wasn’t Robert closer to her age than Snow’s? Not that she cared much for the girl’s fate, but no grown man should be saddled with a child bride.   
Once Leopold’s speech ended, he escorted the two of them down the stairs and onto the main floor. The music started, and she quickly found herself wrapped up in a waltz with her husband, the other couples following shortly. Soon, the whole dance floor was filled, a flurry of bright colors moving in every direction, and Regina was lost in it. Because of this, the Queen failed to notice that a certain Locksley prince couldn’t keep his eyes off her. 

The ball had lasted for five hours, and as a result, Leopold was drunk. Extremely so, Regina thought to herself, dragging her stumbling husband back to their bedchambers for the night. She would have been as drunk as he was, if not for Snow insisting that they spend a few dances together as mother and daughter. It sobered her up in no time.   
“…you’d think after all that wine you’d get some warmth to you!” Leopold babbled, doing his very best to grope every bit of exposed skin he could reach. Regina had ignored him, depositing him on the bed in a very unroyal fashion- allowing her to change into something more comfortable.  
“Maybe Snow was right…” The King mumbled after a few minutes when his wife reappeared in his field of vision, a blurred mass of dark hair and blood red lips.   
“Come closer, woman!” He growled, grabbing a hold of her white nightgown and pulling her to him. Regina was taken aback by this, as Leopold was never this aggressive towards her when sober.   
Before she could stop him, he had reached up and peeled her upper lip back, revealing her sharp fanged canines. The King drew back in horror, as drunk as he was.   
“It’s true! You’re every bit the monster my daughter said you were!” So he figured it out, finally. The Queen wasn’t bothered by this, seeing as it was unlikely he would remember this conversation in the morning.   
“Indeed, dear husband. What are you going to do about it?” Perhaps she shouldn’t have mocked him, as he leaned across the bed to the nearby chair and took hold of the silver dagger resting on top, pressing it to her neck.   
“I wonder what good King Henry will think about this.” He droned on, observing the metal burn Regina’s porcelain skin, causing her to hiss violently.   
“Unless, he already knows.” Regina’s eyes widened in shock, despite the overwhelming pain she was in. Leopold got his answer though her silence.   
“Well then, looks like both of you will burn for treason.” No. Not her father, he was innocent in all of this. She had to do something: if she let this go, come morning they both could be executed, given Leopold retained the night’s events. It wasn’t a chance she was willing to take.   
Mind made up, she leaned down and sunk her fangs into his neck, causing him to drop the dagger in the process. He screamed bloody murder, but she was quick- taking just enough blood to satisfy her thirst, but not enough to exsanguinate him. That way, she could blame his demise, and bite mark, on the viper the guards would find after searching the room. Not the way she initially planned it, but it worked out in the end. 

The following morning, she played the part of the distraught, loving wife, exclaiming to the guards that something horrible happened to dear Leopold, and that he needed a healer immediately. No one noticed the burn on her neck, except for Snow, who had sought out Regina for comfort. The Princess was confused, as it looked like a fresh wound…

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle, 1556  
The months immediately following Leopold’s death were tumultuous, only because it was so sudden. The court was in no way prepared for such a loss, and ran about procuring options for his successor, completely overlooking the monarch still on the throne. Queens weren’t fit to rule an entire kingdom by themselves, said Leopold’s advisor, and that she would either give up the throne or remarry. Regina did neither. She stood her ground early on, establishing herself as the sole ruler of Lunaria. Leopold’s misogynistic advisor was quickly replaced with King Henry, and was never heard from again.   
As ruling queen, Regina went about strengthening the kingdom, ensuring that the economy was thriving and that her new army of Black Knights were well trained. When she wasn’t traveling to neighboring kingdoms establishing trade agreements and treaties, Regina continued practicing magic with Rumplestiltskin. Her contact with Snow was kept at a minimum, to Regina’s relief- the girl was watched over by her governess Johanna most of the time. The exception to this was when Snow needed “motherly” advice, or simply to make use of her authority. Like she was doing now.   
“Regina, please! You have to write to King Edward and Queen Eleanor about the marriage contract! I don’t want to marry Prince Robert!” The thirteen-year-old pleaded, throwing herself at Regina’s skirts.   
“Any particular reason why? You know, your father was very keen on establishing a Sherwood alliance.” The monarch replied, already bored with the conversation. So the brat had to marry for political reasons, didn’t they all?  
“Don’t bring him into this!” The Princess snapped, still grieving his loss. “It’s just that Prince Robert is at least twenty-three, ten years older then I am!   
“Is this about Prince David? King George’s son?” Snow hesitated, squirming under her stepmother’s prying gaze, but eventually nodded.   
“We met at my birthday ball. He was…nice!” Regina rolled her eyes and leaned back in her throne. Children.   
“He was just so wonderful- we talked about everything and nothing, he even likes horses and archery! Please Regina, I want to get to know him!” The Queen sighed heavily, trying not to knock the annoying teenager out with a wave of her hand.   
“Alright! If it’ll get you to shut up and leave me alone, I’ll send out a letter to Sherwood after I visit the villages.” As predicted, Snow was ecstatic, throwing her arms around the vampire enthusiastically.   
“Thank you, thank you!” Snow buried her face into Regina’s neck, right on top of the Queen’s other scar. Intrigued, the girl wanted to know more, but she wasn’t sure if she should voice her question. Regina wasn’t exactly the most even-tempered woman.   
“Regina?” She asked hesitantly, poking at the blemishes on the Queen’s otherwise perfect skin. The older woman’s posture stiffened at Snow’s gentle touch. She didn’t like being reminded of her condition.   
“What?” She sighed heavily, irritated at the young princess for having no boundaries.   
“Is…this where you were turned?” There was a bit of fear in her voice, Regina noted. Should she answer the question truthfully? It wasn’t as if Leopold was still around to behead her.  
“It is.” The monarch deadpanned, deciding to inflict a fair amount of discomfort on the girl, making her understand just how much of a threat she was. But it didn’t have the desired effect.   
“Did it hurt?” Was Snow’s wide-eyed answer, voicing her unwanted empathy. Ugh. What would it take for Snow to stop being so aggravatingly kind?  
“I’m not having this discussion Snow, go do whatever it is you’re supposed to be doing at this hour.” When Snow refused to move, Regina yelled for her governess.   
“Johanna! Come get your ward! I don’t have time for this!” The older blonde came running into the throne room, apologizing profusely for the intrusion.   
“Next time I won’t be so forgiving. You’re lucky I have an appointment in Shadowfall this afternoon, or else we’d be having a longer conversation.” The woman nodded, pulling Snow along with her. Finally alone, Regina shifted her focus to the letter- why did she agree to help the girl?   
As she moved to her writing desk, the Queen wondered what had caused her to have a brief change in heart. Didn’t she want Snow to suffer? It didn’t make any sense, so she attributed it to sparing that Prince Robert fellow a headache. Whoever he was, he could thank her later. 

 

 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Shadowfall Village, 1556  
Had Regina known that her routine trip to Shadowfall would expose her long buried weakness, she never would have gone. However, that afternoon she had, in blissful ignorance, taken a carriage out of the castle grounds with her father along for the ride.   
She was meeting with Sheriff Graham in the square to discuss the overall living conditions of her people. Were they getting enough food and water? Was everyone properly housed? Any sign of plague? Regina was expecting the sheriff to have no complaints, after which Regina would reward him appropriately. This was her kingdom; she wouldn’t tolerate incompetence.   
“As you can see, Your Majesty, we’ve had a successful harvest.” The sheriff of the village reported as they strolled through the marketplace, beaming with pride.   
“Good. Then those coins I set aside for food can be distributed elsewhere. The sick, perhaps?” The Queen picked up a large melon and tossed it between her hands before handing it back to the farmer in approval.   
“No, Your Majesty. Everyone here is in relatively good health. Might I suggest the money go towards a new school for the children?” Regina considered this: it wasn’t a bad idea- the literacy rate would increase, at least.   
“Fine. Write to the royal treasurer and work things out.” She dismissed him with a wave of her hand, causing the man to bow in reverence and go on his way.   
“That went well, Regina.” Henry commented, purchasing a ripe mango from one of the stalls, biting into it greedily.   
“I agree.” The Queen responded, looking at the mango with longing in her eyes. It was once her favorite fruit.   
“Shall we return to the castle? It’s almost sunset.” Regina began walking back towards the carriage, but was stopped by a bony hand tugging on her sleeve.   
“Wait, Your Majesty! I must inform you of your fate!” The mysterious woman had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, staring at Regina with glazed over, vacant eyes.   
“I don’t have time for fortune tellers!” She spat, forcibly removing the other woman’s hand from her person.   
“That’s not just a fortune teller, Regina, that’s a proper seer.” Henry commented, a concerned expression on his face.   
“You should hear what she has to say, out of respect.” Her father had held onto the old superstitions that a seer’s word would eventually come to pass, and was a valued method of receiving counsel. Regina believed it to be a hoax.  
“A great misfortune has befallen you, child.” Regina scoffed, misfortune was an understatement.   
“But do not despair, there is hope for your dark heart. Your fractured soul has a twin, in the form of a man with a lion tattoo.” Regina scowled, what kind of vague nonsense was this?  
“Are you kidding me? That could be anyone! Come on Daddy, we’re leaving.” She began to pull at her father’s waistcoat, but the seer wasn’t done.   
“A royal, with a bird for a name.” Regina didn’t hear anything else after that, as the two of them were finally out of earshot.   
“A royal? Don’t the Locksley’s of Sherwood have a lion as their crest?” Henry pondered aloud, following his daughter into the carriage.   
“Don’t tell me you believe her.” Regina spat, watching Shadowfall disappear behind them.   
“Hope goes a long way, Regina.” Henry didn’t elaborate, in fear of provoking Regina’s temper, but he secretly wished that she would open her heart to the possibility of happiness. Deep down he knew that her vendetta against Snow wouldn’t provide that, no matter how strongly she believed it.   
Meanwhile, Regina was replaying the seer’s words over and over again in her mind. A soul mate? It almost sounded too good to be true. After all, who could ever love a vampire? 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Polaris  
Lionheart Castle, 1556  
The kingdom of Polaris, located in the upper northwestern part of the Enchanted Forest, was one of the continent’s smaller territories. Established in the 10th century by Richard Locksley, the land was famous for its picturesque forests and lush landscapes. It was because of this that Richard, a lord from Camelot, invaded the Enchanted Forest and built a large manor along the coastline. When no one disputed his actions, Richard followed the example of neighboring kingdoms and named himself the first King of Polaris, establishing the capital of Sherwood in the center of the territory’s forest. Before Richard died, he commissioned the construction of Lionheart Castle, which would end up being the home of the royal house of Locksley for five hundred years.   
Nothing noteworthy befell the region until Lyanna Locksley was born in 1127 to Queen Sarah and King Thomas. News of her birth had attracted attention of the indigenous forest sprites, who saw that the child was special. They blessed her with the Light of Gaia, a spiritual awareness that allowed her to become attuned to the soul of the forest. She grew to be a great healer, and encouraged the people of Polaris to embrace nature. As a result, a great number of outdoor activities became popular traditions, such as archery and falconry.   
As the centuries went on, the Locksley’s became known for their generosity and kindness, a family that went above and beyond to ensure that their people were happy and cared for. To spread their wealth, they hosted annual jousting tournaments for all to attend, accepting capable applicants from all social classes. In addition, horse races on Lionheart Castle grounds were the highlight of the summer for many in Sherwood, including its current crown prince, Robert. 

“Bloody hell, Mother! Did you see that turn?” Robin shouted, hitting her shoulder repeatedly in excitement. Will Scarlet, his best friend, had just overtaken one of the other competitors on the track, moving up to first place.   
“Yes dear, now do sit down! I’m sure no one behind you can see what’s going on.” Eleanor berated, exasperated with her son’s behavior. This was a horse race, not a pub.   
“Oh, let the boy have some fun Eleanor. I’m sure the Merry Men can see just fine, or haven’t you noticed that they are just as loud as Robin?” Edward laughed, taking a long pull of wine from his goblet.   
“Robin’s louder!” Shouted the Merry Man called Little John, causing the group to holler their assent.   
“I swear- you boys will be the death of me!” The Queen of Polaris commented good-naturedly, cheering politely when Will galloped across the finish line still in first.   
“Yeah Will! Stole the right horse, he did! What a performance!” Alan exclaimed, and then he remembered who he was sharing the box with.   
“Sorry, Your Majesties! He’ll give it back, knight’s honor!” The rest of the men nodded in agreement, waving Robin over to refill his goblet.   
“And here I thought our knights were upstanding citizens, not horse thieves!” Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the newcomer, groaning.   
“Oh shove off Nottingham! This is the royal box, and tossers like you aren’t invited!” Will spat, slurring his words a bit from the ale he had consumed.   
Robin sighed, raising a hand to motion his crew to quiet down, parents looking on disapprovingly.   
“Why are you here, Keith? What kind of trouble did our son get into now?” The sheriff of Nottingham looked at the prince and his gang with a scowl on his face.   
“Nothing…yet. I’m here to inform you that the amount of taxes we collected last month barely covered maintenance wages. We’ll have to collect again; might I suggest this coming Sunday?” Robin looked back at Little John to see if he (and the rest of the Merry Men) were buying into Nottingham’s lies. They weren’t.  
“Of course. We’ll send out the Merry Men- I mean the Royal Order- at first light.” Eleanor and Edward were following protocol demanding that the Royal Order, the crown prince’s personal order of knights, assisted in upholding Sherwood’s laws. What they didn’t know was that Robin and his men had been going undercover at the same time- stealing back the money that Nottingham had taken from the citizens in the name of taxes.   
“It’s settled, then. Until Sunday, Your Highness.” Nottingham gave Robin a polite nod, and without another word, departed the viewing box.   
“What an utter knobhead!” Arthur remarked, earning a chuckle out of the king.   
“Edward! Don’t encourage them!” Eleanor chastised half-heartedly, she couldn’t seriously discipline men she viewed as her own sons.   
“We should be off anyway- Robin was going to train the newcomers this afternoon.” Little John said, moving down the stairs- the others trailing behind.   
“Oh yes! I completely forgot about that!” The Crown Prince shook his head, grabbing his legendary bow and following suit.   
“You forgot because you’re absolutely besotted with that queen!” Will Scarlet shot back, roaring laughter fading into the distance with them.   
Queen Eleanor was confused by their banter- Robin had his eyes on someone? As far as she knew, he was still engaged to Princess Snow.   
“Edward, who is Will talking about? Who is this queen?” She asked her husband, but he looked just as lost as his wife.   
“No idea dear, but she’d have to be quite something to hold the interest of our boy.” The King answered, deep in thought. The only unmarried ruling queen in the Enchanted Forest was Regina of Lunaria, but it couldn’t be her. Could it?

Later that evening, Robin was summoned to his father’s study as soon as he returned from archery training. The matter seemed urgent, but the Prince didn’t understand why it couldn’t wait until morning. He was quite tired, and not in the mood for politics.   
“Alright Father, I’m here. Now what was so important”- Whatever else he was going to say died in his throat. Not only was his father there, sitting stoically at his desk, but his mother as well. He was in for it, that was certain.   
“A letter from Queen Regina arrived this afternoon while you were out.” Edward began, removing the piece of parchment from the top drawer and handing it to Robin.   
“She requests that the arrangement between you and Princess Snow be dissolved.” Robin perked up immediately at the mention of the enchanting monarch he got to lay eyes on, and scanned the letter for her signature- tracing the delicate lines with his finger.   
“But this is excellent news, Father! Why are you upset?” Robin asked, still thinking about the stunning regal brunette.   
“I know you weren’t exactly thrilled about marrying Princess Snow, but this is hardly good news. We’ll need to find you another bride, one with connections.” Eleanor quipped from Edward’s side, face wrinkling from her worried expression.   
“Isn’t the Queen herself a widow?” Robin blurted without thinking, grimacing when he realized what he let slip. His father rubbed his temples, exasperated.   
“Don’t tell me you’ve been fancying Queen Regina this entire time, son.”  
“I won’t deny it.” He eyed the horrified looks from his parents.   
“Why is that so terrible? She’s about my age, a queen, and quite the vision!”   
“Because Robin, you can’t marry that woman. You haven’t heard the stories…” Robin groaned at the mention of the ridiculous rumors that went around the Enchanted Forest after King Leopold’s death. While it was officially reported that the king died of a snake bite, there were those that believed that he was murdered by his young wife to gain control of the kingdom. It was complete rubbish, in his opinion.  
“Those outrageous accusations? They have no merit. And I can’t believe you bought into them, Father.”   
“Your father only wants you to consider other options.” Eleanor quickly cut in, before a full blown argument broke out between the two.   
“King Midas’ daughter, for example, is unwed. She’d be a good match.” Robin scoffed, crossing his arms.   
“If it will please you, I will write to all the available princesses in the realm before I extend my offer to Her Majesty.” He ended his offer with a smirk, knowing his parents couldn’t refute his perfectly logical proposal. And begrudgingly, they agreed.   
There were a lot of unknowns about his future, but Robin of Locksley was going to court the Queen or die trying. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Polaris  
Sherwood Forest, 1557  
“Alright men, you’re probably wondering why I called a meeting on such short notice.” Robin stated, watching the last man file into the back room of the Hooded Archer Inn.   
“Oh I wonder what this could be about…” Little John began, taking a swig of his ale.   
“Hey! It’s not about Regina this time. Not directly.” The Merry Men exhaled a sigh of relief, leaning against the table.   
“Thank the gods! We were just about to get you a girl before you lost your head!” Alan exclaimed, taking out a piece of parchment from his satchel so he could write down the supposed battle plans.   
“Now what are we planning? A jewel heist? A good old fashioned treasury robbery?” The men leaned in, prepared to hang on their leader’s every word.   
“We’re going to rob Regina’s carriage!” Everyone groaned, bringing a hand to their face in exasperation.   
“Well, we’re going to stage a robbery. I’m not interested in actually stealing from her.” Robin could tell that his men weren’t exactly on board with the whole thing, by the disgruntled looks he received from the lot.   
“What the bloody hell are we doing it for, then? Fun?” Nicholas asked, thinking the Crown Prince had lost his mind.   
“You idiots! He wants a private audience with Her Majesty! And not the usual kind!” Will Scarlet explained, throwing his hand up in the air. And then, the whole thing clicked for the royal knights.   
“Ha! What a lad!” Tuck was beside himself with laughter. “There are easier ways to get laid, you know. Normal people just write one another, see where it takes them.” Robin chuckled along with Tuck, he knew full well that the situation was ridiculous.   
“I have written her. Twice. She has not responded.”  
“Well maybe you should take a hint.” Little John offered, pushing himself to a standing position. “If that’s all this meeting is about, I’m going home.”  
“Wait! If we do it, he’ll finally shut up about the Queen! It’s a win-win for us!” No one could argue with Will’s logic, and gave their word. Elated, Robin took the quill from Alan and leaned over the table.   
“Now that it’s settled, here’s the plan: We ride out at dawn….”

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Midnight Trail, 1557  
“Where to today, Your Majesty?” The coachmen asked, as he helped Regina into the ornate travelling carriage.   
“Nyx. I have a matter to discuss with King George.” The attendant nodded politely and closed the door, signaling to the driver for departure.   
“Should be a rather uneventful journey…” The Queen remarked, getting comfortable for the six-hour ride, and quickly falling asleep. 

“…Halt!” The shout woke Regina from her slumber. Groggy, she opened her eyes and looked out the window for the cause of the commotion. It appeared to be just before dusk, meaning that she had slept through a good four hours of the excursion. But other than the amount of sunlight, nothing seemed out of place.   
Irritated that her nap had been disturbed by what was obviously their incompetence, Regina opened the carriage door and demanded, “What is the meaning of this, Claude?”   
“We’re under attack!”- The tail end of his sentence was cut off, followed by the sound of some sort of impact. Glancing out of the window again, Regina saw a group of men, who were clearly thieves, on horseback; flanking both sides of the carriage. Growling, she knew exactly how she wanted to deal with the band of miscreants.   
She conjured a fireball just as someone jumped onto the roof, climbing down the side to hoist himself inside through the open door. Beyond displeasure, Regina narrowed her eyes at the intruder.   
“Thief, you have two seconds to remove yourself from my presence, or die!” She hissed, baring her fangs. The fireball in her hand was pulsing with each wave of her anger.   
“I’ll even be so kind as to let you choose your own end!” Curious, but the handsome stranger didn’t seem fazed by her display of aggression, as he calmly took a seat across from her enraged form, and inhaled deeply.  
“I beg Your Majesty’s pardon for this unorthodox introduction,” He panted, winded from the exertion, “but I swear, as a gentleman, that no harm will come to your or your coachmen. We’re not here for your jewels.” The strangely dressed thief finished, waiting anxiously for her response.   
“By the gods, you are so beautiful…” He whispered before he could stop himself, hoping that the remark hadn’t cost him his head.   
“Well, you won’t be getting whatever it is you are after.” She snipped as she raised an eyebrow. Her new traveling companion nervously swallowed as his heartbeat accelerated.   
“Not even if what I’m after is time spent with you?” Regina eyed him suspiciously, taken aback by his candor. No one had been this forward with her since Daniel.   
“You’re serious?” She stuttered after a few seconds of silence.   
“That I am, Milady. Robin Locksley, at your service!”   
Stunned, Regina only spoke to order her guards away, finally extinguishing the fireball in her hand as she did so. Just who exactly was this man, and why did his name sound familiar?   
“Locksley?” She prompted, intending to get more information out of him. “As in the royal family of Polaris?” The Queen leaned back into the cushions, hoping he would take the bait.   
“The very same. I apologize for the staged robbery, but you never answered my letters.” Interesting. So this was Snow’s betrothed, here to convince her to reinstate the contract.   
“That’s because I haven’t had the time. Was my letter to Edward received?” Robin nodded, taking a more relaxed position himself.   
“Yes, however”-  
“Do you take issue with the cancellation of your marriage contract? By your arrival here, I assumed you wanted to maintain it.” The interruption brought a look of mild irritation to Robin’s face, but she continued.   
“Forgive me for being occupied with more pressing matters than a wedding several years off.” And it was true, she had been busy planning the assassination of her stepdaughter.   
“If I may speak plainly, Your Majesty?” Robin asked bravely, meeting her gaze with a confidence Regina admired.   
“I’m not stopping you.” The Queen noticed that her playful reply had quite the effect on Robin, causing him to shift awkwardly in his seat. After adjusting himself, he leaned forward, placing a hand on her knee.   
“The Princess is a lovely girl, and I mean no offense by this, but she is a child. Even when she does come of age, there’s too large of a difference in our ages. Rather, another royal in that castle has caught my attention…” The Queen stiffened, as she stared at the hand lightly massaging her knee.   
“I see.” While she appreciated the attention, she hadn’t intended on seducing the man. She had to stop this before it went any further.   
“Robin! Time to go!” The warning from afar put an abrupt end to the conversation, as Robin was overcome with a sense of panicked urgency. Quickly, he removed his hand from her person.  
“Sorry Milady, but it appears I cannot stay any longer. Until we meet again!” Before she knew what was happening, Robin dashed out of the carriage, probably to avoid the mass of guards she was sure were approaching. And somehow, in the midst of his whirlwind exit, he managed a kiss.


	3. Princess Exiled

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria   
Phobos Castle, 1558  
Regina thought about Robin’s kiss long after their brief encounter. Why would he take an interest in her, of all people? He was sure to have heard the rumors, so why didn’t he fear her? A good number of her subjects did: no one was ever upfront about their feelings towards her, but she could see it in their eyes. They looked at her with trepidation, as if they expected her to run wild on a homicidal murdering spree the second anyone disagreed with her. It was insulting. Did everyone think so little of her? Her vendetta was with Snow White, not the entire kingdom.   
“What has you so deep in thought, daughter?” Upon hearing Henry’s voice, Regina snapped out of her reverie, turning to greet her father with a slight smile.   
“Do you remember the staged robbery I told you about a few months ago?” She watched Henry ponder her question with a confused expression.   
“Yes, the Locksley prince was behind it all. Why? What’s the matter? Has something come up?” Regina chuckled, gliding past the older man to the small cabinet she kept hidden away in the corner of the room. It held objects related to the more nefarious aspects of her life, such as fine crystal chalices and vials of blood. The Queen selected a serving of type O blood -her favorite, but so hard to come by- for her meal and then joined her father, seated on the chaise.   
“My throat was dry.” Regina explained, taking a long sip of the life sustaining liquid. Henry groaned in mild disgust. He had come to terms with his daughter’s condition years ago, but that didn’t mean he wanted to witness it first-hand.   
“Nothing’s come up, I was just reflecting on that day- Robin, specifically.” Henry said nothing, gesturing for her to continue.   
“He wasn’t afraid of me, Daddy.” Regina confessed, tossing back what was left of her drink.   
“I thought he had come to rob me, so I bared my fangs to him and hissed, with a fireball in my hand. He didn’t even blink.” The Queen ran a hand through her high set ponytail, pulling at the curls in exasperation.   
“He saw the vampire me, the true me, and then proceeded to flirt with me!” Regina raised her voice and stared at her father with wide eyes.   
“Can you believe he had to nerve to actually kiss me?” Her tirade ended when Henry dissolved into laughter, bracing himself against the arm of the chaise.   
“I fail to see what is so humorous.” The Queen grumbled as she crossed her arms in a huff.   
“Do you? Oh Regina, you think so little of yourself.” Henry responded, after getting his breathing under control.   
“That man is a Locksley.” He put extra emphasis on the name, trying to get Regina to make the connection on her own.   
“What are you suggesting?” It then dawned on her. “No, that has nothing to do with it.” Regina then jumped out of her chair, furiously pacing the room.   
“Daddy, even if I believed in that nonsense, that doesn’t negate what I am. Once he finds out that I killed the king, tore into his flesh with my fangs and bled him dry, he’d run away screaming. I know you want to believe otherwise, but there’s no happiness left for me except Snow’s heart on a plate.” 

Meanwhile: Princess Snow’s bedroom, North Wing

Princess Snow was known to be considerate and kind, always seeing the inherent good in a person- something her mother taught her many years ago. Growing up in court, she was subjected to numerous rounds of meaningless gossip and chatter about this nobleman or woman, and learned quickly to take almost none of it to heart. Most of the time lords and ladies spread gossip out of boredom, and only a few times out of ten basing it on actual fact. She remembered one particularly nasty rumor about Lady Tremaine having an affair with her father that turned out to be true, which got the Duchess of Saxonia banished to nearby Soleil, Prince Thomas’ kingdom. It was because of this behavior that Queen Eva pulled her daughter aside and taught her the importance of being truthful and well behaved.   
So she didn’t give much attention to the conversation going on outside her door- the guards had to keep themselves entertained one way or another. It was late, possibly around midnight, but she couldn’t sleep because of the storm- thunder kept her awake. Deciding to wait out the storm, Snow pulled a book on mythology off the shelf and began to read about Hercules. About halfway though the myth a particular piece of conversation caught her attention:  
“…did you hear Peter? They say Her Majesty offed the King!” Snow scoffed- the rumors really were getting out of control. Regina may have killed that man, but her father? No way.  
“Where did you hear that rubbish? The official statement said it was a snakebite Michael!” Peter chuckled. “Stop listening to those old ladies’ maids, you fool!”   
“Here’s the best part: they say she murdered him to take the throne for herself!” The two guards shared a laugh.   
“Next you’ll be telling me the Princess was in on it!” The conservation ended as both guards moved on to the topic of who was better in bed: Gretchen, the waitress from the Hog’s Head Inn or Heidi, the blacksmith’s daughter.  
Snow tried to return to her book but couldn’t get that rumor out of her head, because there was a chance, however small, that it was true. Snow was one of the few in the castle that knew about Regina’s…issue, and therefore couldn’t dismiss the rumor entirely. If Regina did murder her father, then it could have been an accident- maybe Leopold cut himself, and Regina lost control. It wouldn’t excuse regicide, but at least Snow would understand why. Maybe she should go ask Regina and clear things up. No time like the present- with the storm still raging outside there was no way she would be sleeping anytime soon.  
Mind made up, Snow took the candlestick from her bedside and began the short walk down the corridor to Regina’s chambers. She lived on the same wing as her stepmother, and as such it would only take a few minutes to reach the Queen’s door. However, she only got about halfway when she was approached by a dark figure in a hood, who pulled her swiftly into an empty guest room before she could protest.   
“Remove your hand from me this instant!” Snow exclaimed, not liking being taken by surprise. The hooded figure obliged, removing his cloak as he did so.   
“King Henry!” Snow gasped, shocked, “Is something wrong?” Usually Snow didn’t have any contact with Regina’s father unless Regina was out of the castle dealing with foreign affairs.   
“Indeed, and it concerns your safety.” He made sure the door was closed before continuing in a whisper.   
“The rumors are true; Regina did kill your father.” Snow inhaled sharply, but let him continue.  
“From what she told me, the King made some advances on her that were unwanted, and that led him to discover her true nature. To keep her identity a secret, she killed him.” Snow was horrified, but she had to know:  
“Did she feed from him? Is that what they called a snakebite?” Henry nodded, causing Snow to take a few steps backward. So it wasn’t an accident like she had hoped: Regina had killed her father for selfish reasons.   
“And she wants to kill you for causing Daniel to leave her, wants your heart to be precise.” The King added, only increasing the Princess’ panic attack.   
“So you’ve come to warn me, is that it?” Snow was trying hard to control her breathing, but the news was overwhelming.   
“Well, I thank you for that, but this can’t go unpunished! Killing the King is treason! What do you except me to do, keep quiet on this?” She began pacing the small room, running her fingers through her messy hair.  
“The logical thing to do would be to come forward with the truth. The people deserve to know what their queen really is, before she kills anyone else!” At the end of her tirade King Henry stepped forward, grabbing Snow by her shoulders.   
“You can’t, Princess, I beg of you! She’ll be burned at the stake!” The older man was begging for his daughter’s life to a sixteen-year-old. Snow found that comical in an odd sort of way.   
“I understand that she’s your daughter, and that you love her, but she still murdered my father! Is there any way you convince me to stay quiet?”   
“It’s a tough situation, but I’m trying to get a hold on it. Just before I came to find you, I had a talk with my daughter where she told me everything. I then tried to persuade her that killing you would make the court suspicious. Your father’s death we passed off as an accident, but if you die three short years after him then that will raise some eyebrows, as you are the only heir. Then those rumors will not stay just rumors, I told her.” Henry’s logic made sense to Snow, as of course the court would suspect foul play if she were to end up mysteriously dead.   
“Did she agree then? Is she going to stop this madness?” Henry shook his head, meeting her gaze with a solemn expression.   
“Then I can’t stay here.” Snow concluded, Henry humming in agreement.   
“That’s what I thought as well. You’re not safe in this castle as long as Regina wants your heart. In return for your silence about my daughter’s condition I will assist you in your escape. Tonight.”  
“Tonight? It’s almost one in the morning!”   
“With Regina slowly becoming unstable, thanks to that…imp, the sooner we can get you out of the kingdom the better.” Snow couldn’t argue with that, so she agreed to his proposal, planning to meet the King in an hour at the main gate with as many of her possessions as she could carry.

That turned out to be easier said than done. Snow had many heirlooms that she wanted to take with her: her entire jewelry collection (could be used for bartering if she needed to), some books, enough clothes to last a few months, and her mother’s silver hand mirror. It was a lot to fit in one sack, but she somehow managed it with ten minutes to spare. It took her some time to reach the gate, in order to make sure she wasn’t seen, but she appeared to be successful. Breathing a sigh of relief, she chose to wait for Henry near the stables, wrapping her traveling cloak further around her shoulders as the storm continued to rage.   
“Did anyone see you?” Henry whispered as he approached, stable hand in tow.   
“No, I don’t think so. Regina definitely didn’t.” Snow’s confirmation seemed to relax the older man, as he motioned for the stable hand to ready two horses.   
“Good. This is Joseph, he will escort you to the edge of the Dark Forest, where I’ve arranged for Gemma Lucas to take you in for the time being.” Henry helped the princess mount the horse, patting her on the back.  
“Stay safe, Snow White. I can never repay you for what you’ve done for my daughter.” Snow smiled in return, eternally grateful to the King for his assistance.   
“I will, sir. Thank you for all you’ve risked for me.” Snow clicked her heels, causing the horse to walk into the pouring rain.   
“And don’t give up on Regina, there’s still good in her!” With a slight smile and a nod from Henry, Snow and the stable hand rode away from the castle and out of his sight.   
“Forgive me, mi cara.” Henry muttered to himself, disappearing back inside the castle walls before Regina noticed his absence. 

The next morning, when Regina discovered that the Princess was missing, the castle was suddenly in need of new guards: five exsanguinated bodies were mysteriously discovered with identical puncture wounds on their necks. 

 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Ravenswood Manor, 1558  
To say that Regina had been displeased to find out that Princess Snow fled the castle in the middle of the night would be an understatement. Come daybreak, several hours after Snow had made her escape, Regina was on her way to meet with the council to discuss the day’s schedule. She expected full backlash on her decision to dissolve Snow’s marriage contract, and was prepared to shut down any dissent, but that wasn’t what greeted her in the state room. Instead, she discovered that the insufferable princess was missing.  
After hurling accusations at each and every guard on duty the night before, even feeding on some of them in her anger, the Queen stormed off in a blazing temper to her father’s chambers. When she interrogated him, he appeared shocked and surprised at the news, his reaction genuine enough that she believed him outright. Before Henry could attempt to comfort her, she disappeared in a swirl of purple smoke, seeking out the only other person she could trust: Rumplestiltskin.   
She materialized, as she always did, in the large foyer of Ravenswood Manor. Like the rest of the manor, Rumplestiltskin’s entrance hall was grand. The walls, support columns, and archways were made of grey marble and accented with gold foil. The floor was designed to match, with a border of black and gold marble in the Hellenistic design. Having a flair for the dramatic, her mentor had an elaborate iron portcullis guarding the main doors and multiple standing candelabras and chandeliers. Not as taken with the architecture this time around, Regina glided towards the staircase at south end of the foyer, heels clicking on cold stone. She didn’t slow her pace until she reached her intended destination of the great hall, where Rumplestiltskin spent a majority of his time.  
“Did you know about this?” Regina shouted, not bothering with pleasantries. She didn’t even need to elaborate on most occasions, as her mentor always seemed to know what she was referring to.   
“Your missing Princess? Found out last night, dearie!” He answered from the spinning wheel in the corner, continuing to work the gold threads with his fingers.   
“And you neglected to inform me immediately? We don’t sleep, I would have gotten your message!” The Queen walked over to the lit fireplace in an attempt to calm herself by staring at the flames. Rumplestiltskin would be furious with her if she started to toss around his priceless magical artifacts.   
“There was no need, she would have escaped either way. I foresaw it.” The Dark One stopped his actions at the wheel and took a seat at the banquet table in the center of the hall, crossing his hands.   
“You want to know what I can do for you.” He surmised, watching her with a sort of smug satisfaction as she turned to face him.   
“I need you to find the girl for me! Use one of your location spells!” Regina reached up and tore the opal necklace she was wearing from her neck. “This belonged to her.” She then threw the pendant down in front of him like it burned her.   
Rumplestiltskin chuckled, picking up the discarded jewel. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You see, this never belonged to Princess Snow, not truly. Its original owner was Queen Eva.”   
With a growl, Regina snatched the pendant out of the air and threw it into the fireplace.   
“She’s deep into the Dark Forest by now, and out of your hair. I wouldn’t worry about it just yet.”   
“What? Just let her go?” In another flash of anger, the Queen’s sharp nails swiped across the mantle, leaving scratches in the marble.   
“I didn’t say that.” The Dark One left his chair and made Regina sit in it instead. “Let’s wait a while. See where your people’s loyalties lie.” Regina said nothing, pondering his words as he ran his hands up and down her arms, nuzzling her neck to win her affections. It was all a part of his plan: The Queen had to think he would cater to her every whim, that he was her willing servant, when in fact it was the other way around.   
“And see which villages rise to support her.” Regina concluded, reaching a hand up to run her fingers through his hair.   
“Exactly. That way you’ll know which ones to burn.” Rumplestiltskin stepped away to bring her a crystal goblet full of blood, noticing she had worked herself into quite the thirst.   
“Remember, fear can be an effective tool for getting what you want.” He had conveniently left out the fact that these villages in her kingdom, mainly Shadowfall, Crescentwood, and Moonstone, put a bounty on his head in the past.   
He was turned during a time where humans were very wary of vampires, werewolves, and the like, thanks to Dracula’s activity in the area. He was careless in his first few years and was seen feeding in one of the villages. Naturally, there was a movement to put his head on a spike, and he was forced to retire to Ravenswood until the craze died down. It took a few decades, but vampirism returned to a thing of myth along with ghouls and goblins. But the Dark One wasn’t the type to let bygones be bygones. He was going to exact revenge on these villages, and Regina was going to help him do it. With the Queen under his control, Lunaria would be his entirely.   
After a few minutes of silence, Regina returned the now empty goblet to the serving tray and stood up.   
“If I am going to be feared, I’ll need a huntsman to round up any rebels and those harboring information on Snow’s whereabouts.” The Queen walked over to one of the many bookcases, searching for a tome on mercenaries in the kingdom, as she knew her mentor kept records of that sort of thing.  
“But I have no need of an incompetent fool. I need someone skilled and obedient.” Regina let the statement hang in the air, expecting the Dark One to have someone in mind, and sure enough he did.   
“Might I suggest visiting the Kingdom of Polaris, then? Prince Robert of Sherwood has under his command a band of such people that he calls the Merry Men. Together they act as vigilantes, targeting the corrupt and tyrannical. They’ve been harassing the Sheriff of Nottingham for years, undercover of course.”   
Regina suppressed a gasp, not wanting to give her mentor anything he could use against her, but Sherwood? His suggestion was logically sound, but it seemed suspicious after her encounter with Prince Robin, her supposed soul mate. Was this Prince Robert his brother?  
“And you’re confident in this band of Merry Men?”   
“Completely. They will be more than satisfactory. Especially Robert, he might be the huntsman you’re looking for.” Regina hummed, making up her mind to see them for herself.   
“Well then it’s decided. I’ll set out for Sherwood in a week’s time.” Rumplestiltskin giggled, walking her to the door of the great hall.   
“Do report back, dearie. Possibly during one of your lessons?” The Queen nodded, choosing then to disappear in magical smoke, leaving the Dark One absolutely beside himself with glee. He was going to use this Locksley fellow to remove any lingering notions of love from the Queen’s quickly darkening heart.


	4. Lion's Den

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Polaris  
Sherwood Forest, 1558  
After Robin’s encounter with Regina, he had returned to his duties fully focused and refreshed, to everyone’s great relief. With his infatuation with Regina sated (for the moment at least), the prince turned to matters of state. He spent the past week and a half reaching out to King Stefan of Ombria to inquire about the betrothal status of his daughter Princess Aurora, trying to make the best possible choice for his kingdom. Ombria was not only the closest neighboring kingdom to Polaris, it was the most influential in the region for its wealth, which it had acquired from textile exports. Needless to say, his parents were heavily in favor of the match.   
“What did he say?” Queen Eleanor asked, peering over Robin’s shoulder as he read Stefan’s latest response.   
“He’d consider it, but it seems that King Hubert already offered an alliance with his oldest son, Philip.” Robin answered, feeling defeated. He’d have to start the process all over again.  
“Well that’s unfortunate. Your father won’t be too pleased, I imagine.” Robin’s mother left his side at the writing desk to browse the many bookshelves in the library, selecting a volume on 14th century poetry.   
“No, he certainly won’t.” Robin sighed, folding the parchment back up and stacking it on top of his other correspondences. “Where is Father, anyway? Out hunting again?”  
Eleanor shook her head, already on her way out of the room, book in hand.   
“Try the main courtyard, he mentioned something about sparring with Charles” Robin chuckled, deciding that he would go and join them. The Prince of Thieves never missed an opportunity to clash swords with his younger brother. 

The central courtyard of Lionheart Castle was one of the many open, green areas on the grounds, but it was the favorite of King Edward for its convenient location: the royal apartments to the east, the banquet hall and the throne room to the west, and the armory and kitchens to the north. Gaia’s Gate served as the castle’s south entryway, which was one of two large iron portcullises that provided access to Sherwood Forest. The courtyard was mainly used for small military exercises and demonstrations, but today it would host a friendly competition between the three Locksley men.   
Robin, dressed in light chainmail and outfitted with his longsword Oathkeeper, strode out onto the lawn where his father and brother were clearly working up a sweat.   
“Mind if I join you?” His question fell on blind eyes and deaf ears, as the pair in front of him were completely oblivious of his presence, the sound of yelling and clanking metal overpowering Robin’s voice.   
The prince waited until there was a break in the fighting to make himself known, tapping his father’s armor with his sword.   
“En garde, old chap!” Robin shouted, laughing as the King practically jumped out of his armor.   
“Robert!” The king fumbled and dropped his sword, removing his helmet in exasperation. Charles, meanwhile, was laughing as hard as his brother.   
“Good one mate!” The younger Locksley had started to unclasp his armor, throwing his sword on the grass.   
“Don’t stop on my account, I was coming to join you. Answering correspondence all day is tedious.” Robin picked up Charles’ sword and began to twirl it, comparing it to his own.   
“Never mind that, we were just finishing up.” Edward waved over the palace squire in attendance and requested a dry cloth to wipe down his face. “Did Stefan write back?”  
“Indeed, and it seems that Aurora is to wed Philip, King Hubert’s son.” The older man huffed in annoyance and gave his sword and helmet to the squire.   
“That’s a shame, Ombria would have made a powerful ally. I suppose we can try writing Midas about Abigail.” Robin didn’t get the chance to accept or challenge the idea, as Lord Worthington came charging out onto the lawn from the west entrance, breathing heavily.   
“Your Majesty, pardon the interruption, but Her Majesty Queen Regina is here to see you.” Robin’s heart accelerated at the mention of her name, but tried to keep calm.   
“Now? Are you sure it’s her?” Edward was already walking north towards the armory in his haste to change, flustered.   
“Yes, Your Majesty. Her entourage just arrived at Uranus Gate. She’s requesting an audience with you and Prince Robert immediately.” Now Robin was incredibly confused.   
Usually, any ruler that visited Polaris was a guest of his father’s, or had political business to discuss with him. Robin was almost never involved in these affairs unless it directly concerned him. So what did Regina want with him? Had he made an impression?   
“I certainly won’t deny her an audience, thank you Samuel.” Edward replied, the royal party passing through the archways leading back inside the castle. Once their armor was removed by attendants, Edward motioned for Robin to follow him to the throne room while Charles went to the gate to greet Regina.   
“I want you on your best behavior, Robin.” Edward told him on the way. “We don’t know what she wants, and we certainly don’t want to offend her. She rules the second largest kingdom on the mainland after Corona. An embargo with Lunaria would be disastrous.” Robin simply nodded, following his father into the throne room.  
Edward sat down just as the door opened, revealing Her Majesty and her escort Charles, who began to make their way towards the occupied throne. And even from a distance, Robin was struck speechless at the sight of her. The Queen wore a midnight blue and purple gown with a see through beaded corset that revealed most of her upper body, and the top layer of her ebony hair was gathered into one five-stranded braid upon which rested a sapphire tiara. The dress stood out against her pale skin, and Robin thought she looked exceptional as Charles walked her in front of his father.   
“Queen Regina,” Edward began with a customary nod of the head “lovely to meet you.” He kissed her hand in greeting and introduced his two sons, who nodded to her in return.   
“These are my sons, Robert and Charles, although I hear you already met Robert.”  
Robin flinched- no one was supposed to find out about that. He was nervous- what would Regina think of his accidental deception? Fearful of her reaction, and desperately praying that those rumors about her behavior weren’t true, he glanced towards the visiting queen. Thankfully, she only seemed to be surprised, but not angry.  
“It appears that Prince Robin also goes by Robert.” She sent a curious look his way and removed her black gloves, seating herself in Queen Eleanor’s throne. Now that she was holding King Edward’s gaze, and his attention, she changed the topic of conversation.  
“Which brings me to the reason of my visit.” Regina was now sitting an arm’s length away from him, and the need to touch her was becoming unbearable. With her so close to him, focusing on the diplomatic discussion was futile.   
“I am in need of a personal huntsman, someone that will help keep the peace in my kingdom.” And just like that, Robin was suddenly hanging on the Queen’s every word. If she needed help, he would more than gladly volunteer.   
“A friend recommended the skills of your son Robert, or should I say Robin?” She turned to flash him a mischievous smile, one that was clearly meant to draw men in. And it did. He was quick to offer his approval of her request.  
“I’d be more than happy to assist Her Majesty with whatever she requires.” Robin hoped he didn’t come off too eager, but by the sounds of his brother’s snicker, he failed miserably.   
“You want Robert to leave his duties in Sherwood? For how long, exactly?” Robin was expecting this incredulous reaction from his father, as he was the crown prince, but he was old enough to make his own decisions. Biting his tongue, he barely restrained a frustrated growl.  
“It won’t be permanent, maybe a few months.” He could see by his father’s frown that he wasn’t at all convinced by the Queen’s offer.   
“A few months is too long. He has important matters to attend to at home, like getting engaged, since you dissolved the arrangement with Princess Snow.” Robin scowled- the last thing he wanted to discuss in Regina’s presence was the issue of his marital status, in case it offended her. But she didn’t seem to be affected by Edward’s jab.   
“Oh please!” Regina laughed wholeheartedly, as if the King had told a truly humorous joke. “It’s an alliance you’re looking for, one with my kingdom to be exact.” She leaned back and relaxed against the throne- the bored look on her face told Robin that she didn’t appreciate being on the receiving end of some royal’s political games. She liked to be the instigator.  
“It may have escaped your notice, but Snow is not the only available royal in the kingdom.” And with that statement, Robin’s eyes almost rolled out of his skull. He knew she had a certain reputation, but to go as far as declaring herself as a candidate for his hand? It was insane, but he loved the idea. One glance at his father told him the King did not agree, the older man gripping the arm of his throne tightly, his face set in a mix of disgust and irritation.   
“Why marry your son off to a princess when he can have a queen?” Regina was clearly enjoying herself, as she smirked at his now brooding father. The sovereign queen was not known for her subtlety.   
“Just something to consider.” And just like that, the Queen was all business, all playfulness gone from her demeanor as quickly as it came.   
“When Robin and I met, he was quite the marksman. It’d be an honor to have him under my guard.” Robin didn’t have to tear his eyes from Regina to know that his father wanted her out of his sight. Combined with the rumors and her behavior just now, Edward would be willing to part with his son for a period of time if it meant her leaving court. And he was right: after a few tense minutes, Edward agreed with a gruff grumble.  
“I will allow my son to be your personal huntsman, but that is all. If you were hoping to also make Robert your fiancé, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. The prince will not be marrying you at this time.” Robin would have started an argument in favor of marriage to the Queen, but he knew when to pick and choose his battles with Edward. A partial victory was better than nothing.  
The King gave her a polite nod and rose from his throne, indicating that the discussion was over. As Edward descended down the steps, Robin looked back at Charles to gloat, celebrating his father’s favorable ruling. His brother rolled his eyes in return.  
“Stay as long as you like, Your Majesty, and Robert will go with you when you depart.” With the King’s parting statement, both Edward and Charles swiftly took their leave, no doubt on their way to inform Eleanor about the outcome. But it was just as well, as Robin was alone with Regina once again. 

“Your father doesn’t fold easily, does he?” The Queen mused aloud, shifting on the throne so that her legs were draped casually over the chair arm. In doing so, her dress had ridden up, revealing her high-heeled feet for Robin to stare at.   
“Apparently not, Your Majesty.” The Prince answered, managing to draw his gaze up to her eyes as he spoke. Regina chuckled, twirling a piece of hair that wasn’t pulled back into her braid.  
“Pity. I’ll have to try harder.” The monarch directed her attention fully toward the prince, taking amusement in his dumbstruck behavior.   
“It seems that, in this case, the father is not like his son.” Regina sent one more heated glance his way before she took to her feet, heels clicking as she glided down the marble hall. Robin nearly had to jog to keep up with her retreating figure.   
“I do apologize for misleading you during our previous encounter- although my name is formally Robert, I prefer Robin.” She said nothing, didn’t even acknowledge him, until they reached the large wooden doors connecting the throne room to the foyer. Then, in a flash, she reached out to grab his jaw with her thumb and forefinger- the sharp points of her nails digging into warm flesh.  
“I’ll keep that in mind, Robin of Locksley.” His name rolled off her tongue like silk, the low timbered purr igniting his insides with a delicious slow-burning fire. Her whiskey colored eyes continued to pierce the tumultuous ocean blue of his without further comment until Regina decided she’d had enough, releasing him from her grasp.  
“Regina, I”- Robin spoke hesitantly, in an attempt to inquire further about their arrangement, but the sound of her name from his lips broke the flirtatious mood. In a blur of purple and black, the Queen slipped through the door and disappeared from his sight. 

Following Regina’s sudden departure, a sullen Robin retired to his chambers for the night, no longer having the desire to socialize with his family. As a result, he missed the opportunity to eavesdrop on a rather lively conversation between his parents: a conversation that had both Locksley monarchs talking in the library until dawn.   
“What did she want, Edward?” Eleanor began, rising from her cozy place at the fire to greet her haggard-looking husband, helping him remove his heavy robe.  
“She wants our son!” The king hissed in a surprise burst of energy, knocking over a suit of armor in his rage and startling his wife in the process.  
“Edward! Do you want to wake up the whole castle?” The Queen admonished as she guided her panting spouse to a nearby chair and threw his robe across his lap for warmth. Taking a breath, she tried clarifying her question.   
“As in a marriage contract? We talked about this Edward, it’s been months since Robert’s been writing inquiries with no such luck. Marrying him to Regina, the queen of a rather large kingdom, may be our only option.” Eleanor sat back down by the fire with her book, observing her husband patiently, as she had done many times before.  
“Actually, no,” the King responded when he had calmed back down, “Regina did not come seeking marriage, although she certainly hinted at it.” The scowl that he had worn in the throne room was back, causing his wife to laugh.   
“It’s alright to admit you don’t care for the woman, love. I’m not judging, but disliking a monarch simply because of old rumors is just foolish. They never proved she killed Leopold.”   
“So what? I don’t need some council confirming what I already know. You didn’t see her Eleanor, she leered at our boy like she wanted to devour him with those unusual teeth of hers!” Eleanor rose an eyebrow at the last comment, which prompted Edward to continue.  
“Now Ellie, don’t look at me like I’ve gone mad. That woman’s a predator! She’s as pale as moonlight and unsettling to look at. I don’t want her around our son!”   
“But?” The Queen sensed that this encounter with Regina had not gone to plan.  
“But our dear Robert, the fool he is, offered himself up when she requested his help! I only agreed to it to make her go away, and to keep our boy’s golden reputation! If I refused her request she would not have stopped, Eleanor, until she got what she wanted.” Edward poured himself a long overdue glass of wine and took a gulp.   
“As it stands, he will go back to Lunaria with her to be her huntsman, of sorts, for a few months and then return home. At least he’s not marrying her, thank the gods!” The eldest Locksley took a moment to catch his breath before finishing off his wine.   
“I suppose I see your point, but I do wish you had consulted me first.” Eleanor took the now empty chalice from her rapidly tiring husband and placed it on the serving tray near the chaise she was sitting on. Sighing, realizing that there was no stopping this, she asked what any mother would:  
“When do they depart?” The Queen hoped for a few weeks, so she could see her son off properly, but that wasn’t realistic. Knowing Edward’s opinion of Regina, it was going to be sooner than she liked.  
“Next week.” Edward drawled, passing out in the chair shortly after. Rolling her eyes at her husband, Eleanor went to fetch the servants so that they could have the pleasure of putting him to bed. There was no way she was dragging a two-hundred-pound man up the grand staircase, king or no king. 

 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Polaris  
Lionheart Castle: Uranus Gate, 1558  
Following Regina’s inexplicable coldness toward him, Robin decided it was best to avoid her altogether. It was clear to him that he had upset her, somehow, and that she needed time to herself. He understood completely: she felt that he had overstepped his boundaries, so he responded by enjoying the company of the rambunctious Merry Men.  
They spent the first day hunting deer in Sherwood, racing through the forest for hours on horseback. It was the most fun the Prince had had in ages, thanks to John’s morale-lifting humor and Will’s scandalous gossip. Come dusk, the hunting party had shot down three large stags and returned to the castle in high spirits with their spoils.   
The subsequent days blurred together in a whirlwind of activity: foiling Nottingham’s plans to scam the peasantry, taking part in an archery tournament (held in Robin’s name), socializing with the nobility at a ball, drinking at his favorite tavern, and sparring with his brother. It was overwhelming enough that it took the Prince’s mind off Regina completely, and as a result, he never noticed her absence from court. 

When the day finally arrived, Robin rose with the dawn. Equal parts nervous and excited to be leaving with Regina, he was still a bit crestfallen to be leaving his family behind. The longest he had been away from court was a month, and it had felt like a year. He had no idea how he would endure six of them.   
“Robin!” Charles yelled, throwing open the door to his chambers.   
“Get your royal arse downstairs, Mother is making you breakfast.” Robin raised an eyebrow- Eleanor Locksley was cooking?  
“I know, I know, we have servants for this sort of thing but she insisted. Her way of saying goodbye.” The elder prince followed his brother through the west wing and down a hidden set of stairs that led from the royal apartments to the kitchen.   
“She’s not going to see the carriage off?” Charles shook his head, letting his brother go first down the steps while he carried the candlestick  
“No, she said she’d embarrass herself by crying. Don’t bring it up, she’s already emotional.” Before the pair reached the bottom, Robin was dying to know about the status of another royal taking shelter in their home.  
“Anything from Her Majesty?” Charles snickered, playfully shoving his brother’s shoulder.  
“How did I know you were going to bring her up? Mate, take my advice and use this opportunity to bed her. Women like that don’t come around every day.” Charles then dropped the teasing tone, placing the candlestick on the holder next to the third step.  
“You can stop worrying; Father saw her a few hours ago packing her trunk. Odd, really. He said it didn’t look like she slept any, said she was already dressed.” Robin didn’t think it was odd at all, some people just got up early.   
“I wasn’t worrying!” Robin forced the rusty door open with a push. “Just concerned.” The two brothers finally descended into the kitchen and were greeted by their sweet yet overbearing mother, assembling two plates of bacon and eggs.   
“There you boys are! I was just about to send the band of miscreants to fetch you!” Both men groaned, quickly sitting down to eat their breakfast before Eleanor fussed any further.   
While having his mother cook him his favorite breakfast was nice, it went by far too fast for his liking. Before he knew it, John came to collect him, announcing that Regina was ready to depart. The Prince immediately asked if his bags had been taken to the carriage, and they had. Everyone was waiting on him, including Her Majesty.   
Flying into a frenzy, Robin got dressed faster than he ever had in his life and rushed outside to meet the gathering crowd. A small sector of the kingdom had assembled at the castle gates to see their future monarch off, including the Merry Men, all the noble houses, some merchants, and peasantry. But Robin paid them no mind, for he was focused on the woman calmly standing by his father, a vision in black and gold.   
“Return him home in one piece, would you Your Majesty?” He heard his father say as he closed the distance between them.   
“You have my word, Edward. No serious harm will come to your son.” She talked to his father, the King, as if he were one of her subjects. Head held high, posture stiff, Regina refused to hold the King’s gaze, choosing instead to stare at something off in the distance. Robin wondered why she was suddenly acting so indifferent.   
“Very well then.” Edward moved out of the way so that Robin could take his place beside the icy queen.   
“Have a safe journey, son.” Robin responded in kind and followed protocol by escorting Regina by the arm to the waiting carriage.   
“After you, my lady” To his surprise, she didn’t refuse his assistance (or speak, for that matter) and instead allowed him to lift her into the coach.   
With one final wave to the crowd, and a voiced goodbye to the Merry Men, Robin joined his alluring travel companion for the long ride to Lunaria. 

As they passed through Sherwood Forest, Robin took the time to study the regal woman across from him. Even though he was still enamored with her, he did find it strange that she suddenly refused to acknowledge his presence. Gone was the flirtatious woman from the throne room, and in her place was a doll, elaborately dressed yet silent. She had her body turned away from him, into the side of the coach, and was watching the trees pass them by. He was content just to observe her at first, but he found himself needing conversation.  
“You look stunning, Your Majesty.” Robin was hoping a harmless compliment would rouse her, but all he got was a quick glance and a tight smile. He didn’t want to push his luck, so he didn’t try again until a half hour had passed.  
“Did you enjoy your visit to my homeland?” The Queen didn’t immediately respond, but eventually spoke.   
“Please stop talking, I’m not in the mood to deal with your pathetic attempt at pleasantries.” Anyone else would have complied, but not Robin. He knew something was bothering her.  
“Are you sure, My Lady? You seemed perfectly content in my company earlier in the week.” Only then did Regina change her position so that she was sitting upright and looking him straight in the eye.  
“Did I now? You and I have very different definitions of the word content.” He didn’t know what to say to that, so they sat in silence until Robin could no longer handle the tension.  
“Please, Regina, talk to me.” He tried to take her hand, but she swatted it away. “Let me fix whatever it is that’s upsetting you.” She scoffed, and went back to staring out the window.  
“You can’t.” She sighed, a flicker of longing crossed her face. “It’s best if we maintain a strictly professional relationship. I shouldn’t have toyed with your emotions as I did.” The Queen played with a gold ring around her neck, and Robin wondered if it had anything to do with her shutting him out.  
“I didn’t mind it, Your Majesty.” Robin replied, earning him a light chuckle in return.   
“Of course you didn’t. You’ve been trying to win my affections since our first encounter.”   
“I wasn’t victorious?” Robin voiced in mock sadness, acting as if her words wounded him.  
“I never said that.” The admission was quiet and barely audible, but it had Robin’s heart pounding.   
“In that case,” He moved to sit next to Regina, hoping she wouldn’t kill him for this. “I believe this is long overdue.” Grasping her face, he leaned in for a slow but satisfying kiss.   
“I’ll leave it at that, if that’s what you desire.” In a move that shocked him, she pulled him to her for another kiss- this one was more aggressive and in no time at all she had him groaning into her mouth.  
She’s got some seriously sharp teeth. Robin thought, but it wasn’t enough to make him stop what they were doing. He was on cloud nine, and he never wanted it to end, drawing out their lip lock as long as possible.   
Meanwhile, the balance of power shifted as a long dormant part of the Queen roared to life. It had been years since she had any kind of meaningful human contact, not since Daniel, and as soon as Robin’s lips touched hers she found she craved it. Using her superior strength, she rolled them over and pushed him into the seat cushions, positioning herself above him.  
It took Robin an instant to recover, but he was soon clawing at any exposed skin he could reach, sliding his hands under her dress as they kissed. Her ice-cold skin felt like sweet relief against his warm palms. They only broke apart when he found himself desperate for air.  
“So tell me, Your Majesty, do you bite?” Regina laughed and stole a kiss, this time biting down on his bottom lip before pulling back.   
“Only a little.” Feeling incredibly aroused, Robin wrapped his arms around her and reclaimed her mouth with his, leading to a passionate snogging session. By the time they reached Phobos Castle, Robin was covered in bite marks and scratches, all of which he bore with pride. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Dark Forest, 1559  
“Would Your Majesty care to explain just what we are doing out here in the middle of the night?” Robin grumpily asked, guiding his stallion Outlaw over the remains of a fallen tree. He wasn’t pleased that they were parading around the Dark Forest at such a late hour, knowing the dangers, and was dying to know what prompted this midnight stroll.   
“No, and you are not to inquire further.” She seemed equally vexed, throwing a fireball at an offending bush in her path.   
“I don’t know why you’re the annoyed one, this was your idea!” He managed to dodge the now burning foliage Regina left behind, Outlaw neighing out of fear of the fire. “And while your fireballs are impressive, can you try not to burn down the whole forest?”   
“Your damn shouting is going to get us killed by trolls!” The monarch hissed, putting even more distance between their horses as she sped into a gallop that left him in the dust.  
“Don’t wait up.” Robin muttered, not bothering to alter his pace. He knew they were almost at the forest edge, and was all too keen to make Her Royal Highness wait for him.   
When he finally emerged from the thorny brush, ten minutes later, he could see that Regina had dismounted from Rocinante. Upon his confusion, she elaborated that they were going to be walking the rest of the way.   
“To where?” He pulled Outlaw along behind him, who seemed content to be out of the Dark Forest.   
“Ravenswood Manor. Animals prefer to avoid the place, for reasons I cannot say, so we will go on foot. Outlaw and Rocinante will be cared for in the village stables.”   
“We rode all this way to pay a visit to the Dark One? At this hour? Couldn’t you have transported us there instead?” Robin, used to Regina’s magic three months into his post, looked at his travelling companion like she had lost her mind.   
“He’s nocturnal, it has to be nightfall.” She stated, returning the incredulous look with equal fervor. “And I couldn’t have used magic, not if I wanted to bring you with me. He has a protection spell guarding the manor.”   
“But why include me in your, as you say, business dealings?” Robin asked as they turned off the main path, being careful to keep his voice at a whisper. Regina once mentioned in passing that the people of Shadowfall were rather nosy and not to be trusted with critical information.  
“It seems my dear mentor wants what he can’t have.” Regina growled, impatiently tying the horses up with magic once they reached the stables.   
“He’s got a bounty on someone and desires that I take care of it.” Robin concluded. “He must have heard about the downfall of the Blind Witch.” The aforementioned incident took place about a month into his post as the Royal Huntsman.   
After proving his worth on a few small arrests in Crescentwood, Regina had trusted him enough to go after a sorceress that was causing her trouble. Reports were circulating throughout the kingdom that this witch ate children, a crime that Regina considered to be of the highest offense, and sent Robin after her head. When he returned a week later, successful, Lunaria heralded him guardian of the people. He gained Regina’s full trust as a result.  
“Correct, nothing escapes his notice.” The monarch replied, pulling him along until they reached a clearing on the outskirts of the village, no manor in sight. At least, none that he could see.   
“Why are we stopping?” He asked, more confused than he had been at the start of the night.   
“Because we’re here, Forest Boy!” She snapped, quickly growing tired of his incessant questions. Just as Robin was about to comment on his new nickname, she disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.  
“Forest Boy?” He scoffed, leaning against the closest tree he could find. “Where did she conjure that up? Insults for Children?” Just then he was hit with a gust of wind, signaling that the protection spell had been disarmed.   
Daring to look in the opposite direction, Robin saw that the tree he was leaning against was directly in front of the manor’s main gate.   
“Well bravo to Her Majesty!” The accolade was both serious and sarcastic, as Robin couldn’t decide whether to be supremely impressed or irritated. Luckily enough, he didn’t have the time to complain further, as the gate was slowly opening to allow him passage.   
Knowing that the Dark One was expecting him, a man that Robin heard many horrific tales about, he promptly ventured inside the mysterious manor.


	5. Elves and Fairies

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Ravenswood Manor, 1558  
The day after Regina left for Polaris, Rumplestiltskin found himself with an abundance of leisure time that he didn’t know what to do with. There were so many projects around the manor that suffered from his negligence: the library hadn’t been renovated in one hundred years, his tome on the Dark One mythology was still unfinished, and the giant hole in the roof of the northern tower wasn’t going to fix itself. It wasn’t like him to be so lethargic, but he had been tutoring apprentices for at least one and a half centuries nonstop, and the issue of manor upkeep had fallen to the wayside. With Regina gone, it gave him the opportunity to finally tackle some of these tasks.   
He was halfway through cataloging his volumes on potion crafting when the temperature in the room dropped to a chill. Knowing that there was only one witch with that power, he abandoned his work to greet the royal ice mage.   
“Princess Ingrid. Always a pleasure.” The Dark One mock bowed, escorting the platinum blonde to a chaise by the fireplace.   
“I hope you don’t mind the warmth, but not all of us are impervious to the cold.” She waved off his concern, playing with the diamonds sewn into her silver corset.   
“Do as you must, I fear we’ll be burning the midnight oil, as they say.” Rumplestiltskin observed that his guest was more soft spoken and gentle in temperament than the typical vampire, but then again he knew that cryomancers were usually introverted.   
“I assume that the matter we’re discussing is rather grave?” The Snow Queen nodded, handing him a sealed letter from her husband.   
“Anita Lucas and her pack were discovered in Crescentwood last night. As you can imagine, the Count wants this dealt with immediately.” Rumplestiltskin tore open the seal with his finger, scanning the contents of the message.   
“As do I.” He stated, meeting the icy blue eyes of his companion. “I don’t need to tell you what kind of danger one pack of trained werewolves poses to a vampire coven.” Ingrid knew he was talking about the incident of 1412, where an alpha werewolf and his pack managed to break into the Forbidden Fortress and eliminate half of Dracula’s army. She managed to survive the assault using magic, but many weren’t so lucky.   
“What are you going to do? These beasts pose a threat to all of us, including you and your apprentice queen.” Rumplestiltskin knew that he didn’t have an ample amount of time to execute whatever plan he fabricated. He had to figure out how he was going to eradicate an entire pack of werewolves before they could harm himself or Regina.   
“Are the night elves still in Ombria?” Rumplestiltskin asked, knowing that they were the only beings in existence with the ability to control werewolves. The only problem with this plan was they were very reclusive and hadn’t been seen in decades.   
Ingrid rose both eyebrows in surprise, her more excitable state causing snowflakes to swirl all around the room.   
“You can’t be serious! Fiona will never agree to help. She didn’t then and she won’t now!” The Snow Queen acted as if this idea was ludicrous, hissing at the end of her speech.   
“I’ll take that as a yes!” The Dark One declared triumphantly, clapping his hands together and rising from his seat at the fire with a new energy.   
“You’re going to write to Fiona, then?” Ingrid asked, following suit. She languidly glided to the corner of the room housing his workbench, watching him gather knick knacks into a bag.   
“I’m going to do more than that, dearie! I’m going to pay the Queen of the night elves a visit, and make her an offer she can’t refuse!” Giggling maniacally, he disappeared in a cloud of red smoke before Ingrid could comment further. She was going to have a hell of a time explaining this to her husband.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Ombria  
Starlight Forest, 1558  
Many centuries ago, during the reign of King Louis of Dubois (the great-great-great-grandfather of King Stefan), Ombria suffered the worst outbreak of dragon pox in the kingdom’s history. The deadly disease spread like wildfire in a matter of weeks and killed thousands, including four-month old Prince Francis. Distraught, Louis desperately sought a way to halt the spread of dragon pox before his other children fell ill. His inquiries eventually reached the mysterious island of Avalon, home of the night elves.   
The night elves, expert healers, were sympathetic to Ombria’s plight and offered their assistance. King Louis was ecstatic, as any man in his situation would be, and gifted them land in return, a densely wooded area called Starlight Forest.   
Now their permanent residence, Queen Fiona and her clan lived peacefully in Ombria with other creatures of the forest, magical and non-magical alike. Everything from elk and bears to pixies and mermaids inhabited the woodland, creating a kind of sanctuary for endangered mythical beings. This utopia, complete with elven infrastructure, was unknown by outsiders, excluding Rumplestiltskin.   
Upon the day of his visit, the Dark One arrived at Starlight Forest thinking that he would find some sort of primitive civilization one would normally associate with elves and fairies. As such, he was quite surprised to find evidence of the contrary: the whole area was covered in a variety of lush bioluminescent foliage that served to conceal Celtic style temples and villas carved out of stone and wood. It almost resembled a city, for the buildings were connected by covered walkways and paths. Rumplestiltskin noted that the largest of them all, residing next to a cascading waterfall, was most likely the royal residence.   
Deciding that that would be where he would most likely find Fiona, he approached one of the guards and announced his presence, which prompted the elf to disappear inside the palace. He stood there patiently for a few minutes before the guard came back to provide escort.   
“Her Majesty will receive you in her private chambers.” The unnamed elf clarified, moving the two of them through the maze of the fantastically decorated palace. They stopped just outside a room that resembled an outdoor balcony: there were no walls, just stone support columns and archways covered in vines. It allowed for a breathtaking view of the waterfall and surrounding glade. It was here, in the south corner of the palace, that Queen Fiona laid on top of an intricately carved chaise lounge, attended to by her three handmaidens.   
The Queen of the night elves, as told in the elven legends, possessed beauty and intelligence like no other. Fiona had the standard appearance of all night elves, white hair with lavender skin and eyes, but she bore the pointed and sharp facial features of high-borns. She carried herself with poise and grace, and was an excellent healer. But she was known for being notoriously proud and confident, two traits that made her difficult to deal with, as Rumplestiltskin would soon find out.   
“To what do I owe this pleasure, Dark One?” Fiona inquired, her melodic, delicately accented voice successfully disarming her guest, as Rumplestiltskin appeared dazed from the moment she spoke. From her spot in the room, reclined like a pampered goddess, she observed her lady Spahira rise and guide the unassuming visitor to his seat.  
“I’m not really sure…” He mumbled, momentarily forgetting why he had made the journey to Starlight Forest in the first place. This gave the elven queen great amusement, causing her to grin and giggle mischievously.   
“Don’t tell me I’ve rendered you speechless already?” Fiona asked, sipping wine from a golden chalice with a jewel-covered hand. “Pity. I had a whole night of entertainment planned for the two of us.”  
“Oh do shut up!” The Dark One snapped, highly irritated that he had briefly succumbed to her hypnotic spell. He wanted nothing more than to curse the whole elven species, as alluring as their queen was.   
“You’re quite courageous, speaking to me like that.” She began to slide one willowy finger provocatively up and down her thigh, both casually and deliberately. This drew the vampire’s eye to her slender figure, and suddenly he was partial to her unusual skin tone.   
“I’ll speak to you however I damn well please! You and your pack of mangy dogs are quickly becoming more than a mere nuisance!” He growled, instinctually asserting dominance by baring his fangs.   
“I will not have that kind of talk in my domain. They are not dogs, they are not werewolves as you like to call them, they are shape shifters and you will refer to them as such.” The subtle shift in the queen’s body language was meant to be a warning to him that he had overstepped his boundaries. She was no longer stretched out on the chaise, but coiled like a cobra, showcasing the rather intricate anklet on her right foot.   
“Fine. Your shape shifters have recently migrated up north to Lunaria, where they are not wanted. Seeing as you hold dominion over the creatures, I humbly request that you call them back.” The atmosphere was tense, charged, for a few moments as Fiona processed the information. Then, she infuriated Rumplestiltskin yet again by underreacting, merely humming in acknowledgement.   
“And why would that interest me?” She drawled, sounding almost bored in her response.   
“Your species and hers are natural enemies, have been for centuries.” Fiona stated, forcing the Dark One to hold her gaze. “I would rather not anger the gods by tampering with the natural order. My role as a Night Elf is to guard and protect creatures of the forest, not interfere with squabbles.” She finished her lecture pointedly, inviting her guest to retaliate. It was more enjoyable that way.  
“I acknowledge your point, but given my vampirism”- Fiona interrupted him to continue his train of thought herself, as she was one step ahead of him.  
“Given your vampirism, Anita and her pack will try to eliminate you at every turn. You and your young queen.” When he appeared bewildered, she chuckled and threw her legs over the arm of the chaise so that her bare feet dangled over the edge.   
“No need to look so shocked, I’ve already been informed of your ambitious endeavors.” She paused to gesture at handmaiden Rowena to fetch more wine before continuing:  
“I must say, I admire your boldness. The last one of your kind to plead their case didn’t receive my favors.” Fiona paused to study his body language, eyes bright with mirth.   
“What makes you worthy, Dark One? Why should I help you?” Her tone was back to being playful and mischievous, a stark contrast to Regina’s sultry, sensual methods.  
“There’s a reason why Regina, my creation, sits on the throne.” Rumplestiltskin was trying his best to appear unaffected by Fiona’s sly ministrations, to level the playing field, but that was easier said than done.  
“That girl sits on the throne as your naïve little vassal, no?” The elven queen took a grape off of a nearby serving tray, meeting his disgruntled stare with a wisdom other immortals couldn’t begin to comprehend.   
“Don’t look so downtrodden, dear, I’ve seen ancient empires rise and fall.” Sensing that favorable negotiations would not be possible unless he was in a better mood, Fiona nonchalantly discarded the sheer top layer of her dress, leaving her in a revealing silken ensemble that she knew would lift his spirits. When he emitted a feral growl almost instantaneously, she realized he was hers to command.  
“Now if you’re in better spirits, we can discuss the terms of our alliance. I will see what can be done about the shape shifters, and in return you will exterminate the tribe of ogres that is currently wreaking havoc on my forest.” The elf queen voiced her proposition, not expecting any backlash from her guest. She surmised correctly: The Dark One mulled it over for a full second before agreeing, waving his hands dismissively.   
“Yes, yes, wonderful. I’ve dealt with a fair share of ogres in my lifetime, it won’t be an issue.” He no longer cared about the alliance at that moment, for Fiona’s hypnotism ended up triggering his predatory nature. Staring at the monarch’s exposed cleavage like it was his to possess, he pounced on her in a blur, mouth immediately moving to the pulse point on her neck.   
“This is the…entertainment…I was referring to earlier.” Fiona breathed, digging her nails into his scalp as he tore at her clothes. “Let’s see if you’re worth my time.”   
Rumplestiltskin promptly silenced her by biting just above her left nipple. 

 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Ombria  
Duchy of Rosewood, 1558  
In hindsight, he should have paid more attention to Fiona’s description of the ogre tribe, but it was her fault for disclosing such vital information when they were intimately engaged. He had fallen into a blissful oblivion the moment he sunk his fangs into her flesh, and consequently hadn’t heard a word she said. He was now berating himself for his behavior, realizing that he was at a loss for where to start his search.   
Rumplestiltskin wandered the forest for hours with no luck: the faint footprints he had been tracking disappeared without warning, which led him to believe that these creatures were covering their tracks. Frustrated, knowing that his alliance with the elves was at stake, he decided to leave the forest hoping that the ogres might have migrated elsewhere.   
Elsewhere turned out to be the nearby Duchy of Rosewood, a territory assigned to Duke Maurice Poitiers and his wife Duchess Colette. Under the Dubois crown, Université du le Dauphin Francis was established in honor of the firstborn son of King Louis, and became the most prestigious academy in Ombria. As such, the Duke and Duchess were quite proud to have their daughter Belle attend the university studying linguistics.   
Because the university was a major draw, Rosewood naturally was heavily populated with academics, men and women wholly incapable of defending themselves against an aggressive horde of ogres. The attack occurred overnight, sending the town into chaos. The creatures stomped through pastures and churchyards, leaving all kinds of destruction in their wake. Rosewood’s bravest retaliated with crossbows and fire, but it wasn’t enough. Many died protecting their families, and a sizeable number were injured. Ironically enough, Rosewood’s only hope was arguably just as monstrous as the ogres they were fighting.   
Rumplestiltskin crossed into town at dawn, traversing the debris of broken wood and bits of stone as he went, surveying the damage. There was no one out in the streets to provide information, given the early hour, so he went straight to the large manor house on the outskirts of Rosewood. While he thought that it was not as grand as his own manor, Château Poitiers was impressive enough, and appeared to be mostly intact.   
He was received not by a member of the household staff, as he expected, but by Lady Belle herself- who had apparently watched him from the upstairs window. It was the only way she would have seen him approach the manor.   
“Are you here to help us, sir?” She asked in lieu of greeting, ushering him inside with urgency.   
“Oh please say you are! My father is in over his head, but he won’t admit it!” As she wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, shivering, Rumplestiltskin took the time to observe the girl, noticing her unkempt appearance. Dressed in a simple blue nightgown, barefoot, and with brown hair falling out of a messy plait, she looked absolutely disheveled. Not that he blamed her, the threat of another ogre attack would keep anyone up all night.   
“It’s a surprise your manor is still standing, given the state of the town.” The Dark One mused, waiting for the girl to collect herself.   
“I realize it’s early, but the sooner we address this the better.” A foreign feeling washed over him when Belle threw herself at him out of joy, embracing him rather enthusiastically. It was different than the usual lust he experienced with women, and he was unsure how to feel about it.  
“You’re a saint.” She pulled back and grinned, oblivious to his unnatural state. “I will go wake Father immediately. Wait here.” Before he could object to the ironic title, she had run off, slipping and sliding across the smooth marble floor in haste. And just like that, the vampire found himself charmed by her youthful antics.   
“Lady Belle.” He hummed, mulling over this sudden development. The girl had to be a sorceress, for she was beginning to enchant him in ways no other mortal ever had. Although such a situation was cause for concern, it was too fascinating to dismiss entirely.   
“You’ve piqued my interest, dearie.” A statement that forever altered the fate of both parties involved. 

“Our situation’s not as dire as my daughter makes it out to be.” The false statement from Duke Poitiers earned a loud huff from the young woman present, who rolled her eyes in exasperation.   
“Father, just tell him the truth!” Belle argued, rising from her seat to pace the floor of Maurice’s study. “Queen Fiona herself sent him! Isn’t that proof enough that’s he’s trustworthy?”   
Standing near the corner fireplace, Rumplestiltskin watched the pair bicker amongst themselves, finding Belle’s mention of the elven queen intriguing. Did all of Ombria know about the presence of night elves in their kingdom or was it just the nobility? In any case, Belle clearly had a high opinion of the woman.  
“Her Majesty may have other motives, Belle. Elves are tricky in that regard.” Maurice studied the Dark One for what seemed like hours, trying to assess the character of the stranger in his home.   
“So you claim to be a well practiced dark mage.” The Duke declared, referencing earlier in their conversation. “If you can light the fireplace, a surely simple task for someone of your standing, then I will tell you where the ogre tribe was last seen.”   
Casting a basic inferno spell was nothing, so Rumplestiltskin happily obliged, tossing a small fireball into the hearth with finesse. He noted Belle’s fascinated, wide-eyed expression, and took pleasure in it. Another bizarre feeling.  
“You were saying?” The vampire couldn’t help but be wholeheartedly smug, knowing that Maurice would have no choice but to accept his assistance.  
“Alright, alright.” The older man grumbled, scribbling marks on a pocket map and passing the parchment to him. “I’ve marked the location with an X, but I must warn you. These ogres are the bane of my strongest knights. It will take an abundance of magic to kill them.”   
Rumplestiltskin glanced at the location and stuffed the map in his vest rather carelessly, dismissing Maurice’s concerns with a wave of his hand.   
“No need for that. I will have it handled within a fortnight.” The Dark One moved to the center of the room in preparation for teleportation. Before he disappeared in his signature maroon smoke, he left Maurice with quite the proposition, inclining his head towards Belle.  
“In light of your finances, might I suggest trading your daughter to me in exchange for my services? I’ve grown somewhat fond of her, you could say.” He treasured the shocked looks on both of their faces, snickering in delight.   
“Give it some thought.” The magical smoke was starting to wrap around him, and he knew that he only had a few more seconds before he vanished completely.   
“I expect a decision when I return!” 

Rumplestiltskin left the manor believing they would agree to his terms, and spent two weeks making short work of the ogres. Given his past experiences fighting the creatures as a mortal, he had the advantage, massacring most of them in a fiery ambush. Upon returning to the Poitiers manor to flaunt his triumph and claim his reward, he discovered that Maurice had rejected the deal, offering to pay him a measurable sum instead. 

“Is that your final decision? One hundred and fifty pounds of gold?” The Dark One growled, making no effort to hide his discontent.  
“It is. My daughter will not be journeying with you back to Lunaria.” Maurice stood his ground, fearless in the face of a beast. “As her father, I wish to have her finish her studies at the Academy. Nothing personal, I assure you.”  
The Duke’s clarification didn’t have the desired placating effect, for Rumplestiltskin’s ire was festering. He turned to Belle in hopes that she would side with him over her father, imploring her to reconsider.  
“Lady Belle? Do you consent with your father’s ruling?” She nodded, sending his heart crashing into the ground.   
“It was kind of you to offer, and you seem a perfect gentleman, but my education takes precedent.” Belle gave him a soft smile to lighten the blow. “I’m sorry.” Hearing confirmation from her lips made his ire transform into fury, and he was dangerously close to falling victim to his bloodlust. He wanted Maurice to pay for refusing him.  
Realizing that Belle would be lost to him forever if he killed her father, Rumplestiltskin decided it would be best if he took the money and attempt it another time. After all, the ogres were defeated, meaning that he now had Fiona’s allegiance.   
“It’s alright dearie, I understand.” He motioned toward the unsigned document laying on the desk. “I will accept your offer of gold, provided it be sent to me within the year.”   
Maurice, relieved with the outcome of the meeting, promptly scribbled his signature and stamped the parchment with his seal, putting it in the pile for his secretary.   
“Excellent. On behalf of Rosewood, you’ve done us a great service. It will not be forgotten.” The two men shook hands, and then the Dark One vanished from view, returning to Ravenswood in a foul mood.

“One way or another, Belle will be mine!” Rumplestiltskin declared, having become unfathomably fixated on her after one encounter. It was a problem, and therefore needed to be taken care of as soon as possible.   
The only complication was the deal he struck with Maurice. If he wanted his gold, and he certainly did, then he couldn’t be the one to abduct her. Recognizing this, he made the following conclusion:   
He was just going to have to hire a skilled huntsman to kidnap the girl for him.

 

Camelot: Island of Avalon  
Castle Pendragon, 1558  
Up until the late 5th century, the island of Avalon was merely a small, uninhabited piece of land to the west of the Enchanted Forest. Thought to have no valuable resources, it was disregarded by the early clans of the region, who chose to settle north of the island in modern DunBroch. It was only by accident that the island received any attention, as a rather violent hurricane marooned the ship of Constantine Plantagenet and his crew on shore. In order to survive, the men transformed the lush landscape of the island into a formidable fortress, complete with a large castle and town. Because he was the ship’s captain, Constantine was named the first king of the newly termed Camelot, and in turn his crewmembers became knights. By the end of his rule, he had changed his name to Uther Pendragon, establishing the prestigious royal house that would endure for centuries.  
But it was Uther’s daughter, Nimue, that changed the course of history forever. An adventurous young woman, Nimue thoroughly enjoyed exploring all that the island had to offer, including a mysterious cave hidden by thick vegetation. Despite her father’s warning, she had a look inside, finding nothing but an intricately carved box with strange writing. Upon opening the box, it was chaos. Streams of colored light shot everywhere, illuminating the cave in all the colors of the rainbow. Then, black smoke filled the air, permeating the atmosphere, before dissolving into nothing. Nimune didn’t then understand the magnitude of what had just occurred, but she had unleashed the essence of magic to all the realms. It was eventually discovered by magical scholars that the strange box belonged to the goddess Hecate, stolen from Olympus by the titans and placed in what they assumed was an inconspicuous location. The consequences of their oversight were catastrophic, resulting in a myriad of new mythical creatures (humanoid and non-humanoid alike) and humans with the powers of the gods themselves.   
The first race to emerge from the box were the fairies, winged humanoids with a strong connection to the magical essence. Using wands as conduits, they could choose to appear human and hide their wings or shrink to the size of a flying insect when it suited them. Most of the time they kept to themselves in a floral glade deep in the forests of Camelot, governed by a hierarchical court system.   
During the reign of Aurelius Ambrosius some two hundred years later, there was dissent in the fairy court. A young apprentice of Ruehl Gorm, or Blue as they liked to call her, Morgana le Fay took issue with the matriarch’s hypocrisy. They were taught to use their powers to help those in need, but Blue often decided who received said help, often denying requests that went against her personal beliefs. Morgana actively and rightfully rebelled against her, helping the rejected and downtrodden, and for that she was expelled from the glade.   
Not knowing what to do, she sought the help of the nearby clan of night elves and their queen. Fiona gave her food and shelter, and they developed a lasting friendship, one that led her to befriend the current King of Camelot: Arthur Pendragon.   
As an aspiring dark mage, Morgana followed Fiona’s advice and studied magic alongside the humans, meeting her soon-to-be lover Malcolm Goldson. He was one of Arthur’s knights, a human, but an enchanting one nonetheless. After mastering her craft, a feat it took someone of her talent five years to accomplish, they married and moved into a house on royal property. It took some time, but she was eventually accepted into Arthur’s inner circle as one of his trusted magical advisors, the other being future legendary sorcerer Merlin.   
Then her life fell apart in a matter of nine months. She was pregnant, but it wasn’t what she expected. About a week into her third trimester Merlin paid her and her husband a visit, admitting terrible news. He had just had a vision of their son as the Dark One, a horrible cursed fate he perceived to be worse than death, and recommended terminating the pregnancy. Refusing to do so, and fearing for her son’s life, she later gave birth to the baby she named Mordred and planned to send him and his father to another realm where he would be safe. She had no way of knowing that as soon as Malcom and baby Mordred arrived in the Enchanted Forest, she condemned her son to the fate she desperately tried to avoid.   
Malcolm became a miserable drunk, changed his son’s name to Rumplestiltskin out of hate for the boy, and raised him to believe that his mother died in childbirth. Morgana fared no better, falling into lonely despair. She went about her duties as royal mage as well as she could manage, but secretly kidnapped infants to fill the void of her lost son.   
The day that Morgana would receive a surprise visit from her old friend, all hell broke loose at Castle Pendragon. Arthur had thrown open the door of the library in a hysterical state, startling Morgana to the point that she fell off her chair.  
“There you are! I’ve been looking all over this bloody castle for you!” The young king panted, his chest heaving from lack of air.   
Morgana picked herself up off the floor, studying her friend. He had clearly run all over the castle searching for her, which could only mean magic was involved.   
“What is it this time? Did Merlin accidentally flood the tower again?” She groaned, thinking back on the time that the sorcerer was too lazy to clean up after himself, so he animated all the brooms and buckets to do the work for him. It was a disaster, and she rushed in to clean up the mess. Between Merlin’s magical mishaps and Arthur’s foolish expeditions, it was never a dull moment in Camelot.   
“No, no. It’s Guinevere! Vivienne turned her into a tree!” Morgana raised an eyebrow in disbelief. The Lady of the Lake usually kept to herself, she was a bit of an anti-social woman.   
“What brought this on?” Morgana asked, following him outside to the courtyard. And sure enough, there was a large oak tree situated in the middle of it.   
“Well, you know how Vivienne forged Excalibur for me? It wasn’t just a gift…” Arthur then went on to explain that Vivienne had developed a crush on him ever since he first visited the lake. As a mermaid, she couldn’t leave her domain, so she used her abilities as guardian of Camelot to forge a sword proving her love for him. When she found out that her love Arthur had gone and married Guinevere instead, Vivienne cursed the queen out of spite.   
“Bloody mental, isn’t it Morgana? I didn’t believe him until I saw it for myself.” Merlin commented, already scrutinizing the giant oak for any clues on how to undo the spell.  
“Mermaids and their obsessive personalities….”   
Arthur huffed in annoyance, about to leave the two mages to the task, when they were approached by a familiar elven face.   
“Oh my, I seem to have come home at a rather inopportune time!” Fiona turned toward Morgana, greeting her friend with an all-knowing, mischievous smirk.   
“Tell me dear, how can I be of assistance?”

After the situation was explained to her, Fiona simply rolled her eyes and waved a delicate hand, freeing Guinevere with ease.   
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Merlin muttered, feeling completely defeated. “I spend hours on this, and Fiona shows up making me feel like a right dunce!” He helped Arthur’s wife up off the ground, dusting the dirt and grime off her dress.   
“And here I thought you missed me, little dragon.” The elf queen teased, referring to their inside joke. Then, she made sure Guinevere was alright before addressing the brunette fairy directly.  
“Now, Morgana, I have an urgent matter I’d like to bring to your attention.” Fiona inclined her head toward Merlin and Guinevere before continuing:  
“Somewhere private, preferably. It’s a sensitive subject, one I believe they don’t need to know about just yet.” Morgana nodded understandably, magically transporting the two of them to her private chambers.

“You slept with my son?” Morgana screeched, throwing whatever she could reach at the regal elf.   
“In my defense, he went by the name Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One. Unfortunately, I did not put the pieces together until after the fact. He has the same runic birthmark you told me about.” Fiona clarified, the definition of calm, as her friend continued to lash out in blind rage.   
“You know I would never intentionally hurt you in such a manner, Morgana.” Fiona pleaded, watching the sorceress slowly come to her senses.   
“You’re right. I’m sorry for acting impulsively, but it was just too much.” The fairy sighed and ran her fingers through her tousled hair in an attempt to calm down. “So you really believe it was Mordred?”  
Fiona voiced her agreement, going on to explain the reason why Rumplestiltskin visited her in the first place. Morgana listened, hanging on Fiona’s every word like a lifeline. It was her first personal account of her son, and she planned to treasure it. However, it was difficult to stomach the idea of him being a cursed vampire.   
“Will you return to Lunaria with me? In order to win this upcoming war, Mordred will need all the help he can get.” Fiona asked, hoping that her friend would consent. “I sense that his plan will not go as smoothly as he thinks it will.”  
Morgana’s eyes shone with a new light behind them, full of purpose and determination. “He’s my son. I’m not only going to help you; I’m going to personally ensure that no one hurts him ever again. Not even those werewolves you’re so fond of.” Fiona was about to object, but Morgana silenced her with a look.   
“You know they’ll never side with vampires and their allies, Fiona. As much as they respect you, it won’t be enough. And I know you won’t use your powers to force them, that would only make them resent you.” Morgana began swiftly gathering what she would need to take with her, knowing time was of the essence.   
“I only have one request, as a friend. Side with Mordred and I, and whoever else he may recruit. Let the wolves fight against us, Fiona. Choose me.” Although it pained her to do it, the elf queen wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Ravenswood Manor, 1559  
While waiting for Regina and Robin to arrive, Rumplestiltskin sat at his desk reading various letters of correspondence from business partners and acquaintances alike. Most of the pile contained notices of payment sent for services rendered or items sold, so they were filed away as finances. He had hoped that keeping himself busy would take his mind off of Belle, but to no avail. Obsessing over her day and night, the Dark One sincerely hoped that Robin of Locksley would live up to his reputation and deliver the prize, or there would be nasty consequences. He was growing more and more impatient with each letter, wondering what was taking them so long.   
But then, he came across a note at the bottom of the stack written on fine parchment in an elegant feminine script, one he didn’t recognize. Curious, he tore open the seal and scanned its contents, quickly gathering that the sender was none other than Queen Fiona.   
The information relayed in her letter sent him into a state of shock. Not only was his mother alive, she was the legendary Morgana le Fay of Camelot. And she was traveling all the way to Lunaria to meet him. The Dark One didn’t know how to process the revelation, and luckily he didn’t have the time to do so, for he was interrupted by the sound of his guests entering the manor. 

Having never met Regina’s huntsman, Rumplestiltskin was curious to see what kind of man was going to walk through the door. Once he heard the clicking of Regina’s heeled boots climbing the stairs to his tower, he knew they were close, so he decided to speed things up by magically transporting them to his location.  
“When I said come at your leisure, I didn’t mean three days from now!” The Dark One reprimanded, drumming his fingers together as his guests collected themselves.  
“Always a delight, aren’t you Rumple?” Regina snapped, struggling to regain her footing. Robin was quick to rush to her aid, placing a gentle hand on her back and guiding her to the nearest chair. This tender display of affection had the Dark One scowling disapprovingly when the Queen softly voiced her thanks instead of swatting his hand away. Neither of them noticed his discontented expression, momentarily lost in the other’s presence.   
“Yes, well, I am a busy man. Punctuality is appreciated, Your Majesty.” Robin chose to stand next to Regina, hands resting on the back of the chair.  
“Blame him, then. His sense of direction is terrible.” The cold mask of indifference was back, but it was too late. The vampire had seen enough. If he wanted to succeed in his plans, he had to crush the Queen’s heart before he lost her to the light.  
“Speaking of, make yourself useful and introduce me to your lovely huntsman!” Regina shifted her posture to be able to address both men at once.   
“Rumplestiltskin, I present the crown prince of Polaris, Robert of Locksley.” She gestured at Robin, then at her mentor, repeating the same mantra.   
“I am honored to be invited to Ravenswood, sir.” The Prince bowed his head in a customary greeting and continues on:  
“However, I must confess I am not aware of why I have been summoned, my alluring employer omitted that bit.” Regina rolled her eyes, but couldn’t stop a faint blush from coloring her cheeks at the complementary adjective.   
“Word of your skill has spread all across the kingdom, and I am in need of someone with your credentials.” The Dark One retrieved an intricate, hand carved bow from one of the many chests in the room.   
“If you do your job, this enchanted bow will be yours to keep. With it, you’ll never miss a shot.”   
“Cut to the chase Rumple, what do you want?” Regina barked impatiently at her mentor, playing with the laces of her corset.   
“There’s a man named Maurice Poitiers that is in my debt. While you were gone in Polaris, I was off exterminating an ogre infestation in Ombria. Part of the deal was having his daughter become my assistant, but as you can see, that’s where Robin comes in. I need him to, essentially, remind Maurice of that fact.” Regina didn’t seem too surprised at the reveal, but Robin was not sold on the idea.  
“I’m to abduct the girl, then? That’s the job?” His voice rose a few octaves, alerting Regina that he was outraged enough by the request to lose his temper. Before Robin could angrily deny his assistance, the Queen rose from her chair and dragged him out into the stairwell.

“Robin, listen to me.” She whispered, not wanting her mentor to eavesdrop on their conversation.  
“No, Regina. This is ludicrous, we’re talking about kidnapping a noble’s daughter!” He tried to pull away from her grasp, but she had him pinned against cold stone.   
“I’m well aware!” She hissed, raking her nails down the wall in frustration. “It is in your best interest to do whatever he asks of you, no matter how heinous the crime. I’ve seen what he does to those who disobey him, Robin! Don’t be an idiot!” Her heaving chest was inches away from his face, and he was having difficulty thinking logically.   
“You know I’d do anything to make you happy.” He caressed her cheek in an attempt to lighten the mood. “But this is asking too much.”  
“I don’t think you understand; the Dark One has a reputation for a reason. If you walk out on him, he won’t forget it.” Seeing that pure persuasion wasn’t going to work, she resorted to more seductive methods, capturing his lips in a hungry, passionate kiss.   
“Regina…” Robin groaned, knowing exactly what she doing. But he was a fool in love, and quite helpless to resist his queen. Robin dutifully reciprocated, flipping them around so that she was pinned beneath him instead.   
“Is that a yes?” She prompted, pulling him flush against her body. He gasped when she teasingly nipped at his pulse point.   
“Only if you do that again!” Chuckling, the monarch was more than happy to oblige. 

When they returned, Regina’s tousled hair and smudged lipstick, along with a distinctive bite mark on Robin’s neck, told Rumplestiltskin all he needed to know. The Queen was going soft.   
“Robin’s agreed to go, he’ll set out at first light.” The monarch sounded almost breathless, another change that the Dark One found revolting.   
“Has he now…wonder what changed his mind.” He muttered, wanting the love-struck pair out of his manor before things got too intimate for his liking.   
“I’m giving you a fortnight. Don’t disappoint me, Locksley!” Dark mauve smoke encompassed the couple- his way of telling them it was time to leave. But before they departed, Rumplestiltskin thought he’d make one last comment to ruin the romantic mood:  
“Oh and control yourself Regina, I need him alive!” He had no doubt that the confused, slightly terrified look on Robin’s face did just that. 

Three months later

“Wasn’t expecting to see you today.” The Dark One remarked as Regina appeared in his private chambers unannounced, wearing a powder blue gown that she normally wouldn’t be caught dead in.   
“And certainly not dressed like that!” He regarded the casual styling of her hair and the silver stilettos she accessorized her outfit with. “What’s the matter with you? What happened to dark and provocative?” The woman before him was relaxed and content, and not at all full of rage. He heavily disapproved.   
“Dark and provocative doesn’t suit me anymore, now that Robin and I are in a romantic relationship.” The vampire queen flushed a light rose at the admission, radiating with newfound happiness.   
“I see.” Rumplestiltskin politely responded, contemplating his options: it was clear that the Locksley prince was sabotaging his efforts in corrupting the monarch, but how was he going to get Regina back on the path to darkness?  
“That’s actually why I’m here, Rumple.” She smoothed the nonexistent wrinkles of her dress and handed him one of her spell books. “I need you to teach me this glamour spell so that I can quietly buy potion ingredients. As you know, the queen’s mere presence in town causes quite the stir.”  
“Why? What are you trying to buy?” The Dark One leaned forward with a renewed interest in Regina’s love life.   
“We, as a species, are barren. I’m researching a cure.” The situation was so ridiculous to him that he barely held back a laugh. First an obsession with some plaything, and now a baby?   
“This is more than simply providing the throne with an heir, as Lunaria currently has none with Snow gone.” A light growl escaped Regina at the mention of her stepdaughter’s name, but it passed quickly.  
“While the importance of that did cross my mind, it’s about a family. I want a family, with Robin.” The way she spoke reminded Rumplestiltskin of the young princess he encountered that fateful night, and it pushed him over the edge. This foolishness had to end, and he took it upon himself to break Regina’s heart in the most hurtful way possible.  
“You would think twice about your supposed relationship if you only knew the truth.” Regina frowned, arching an eyebrow in confusion.  
“What do you mean? Robin has never lied to me, or given me any reason not to trust him.”   
“It turns out that your secret isn’t a secret anymore: he’s been playing both sides, if you will.” He watched Regina’s curiosity morph into hurt betrayal, the monarch letting loose a pained howl.  
“I don’t believe you! He wouldn’t!” She rasped, voice cracking with raw emotion. “And even if I did, who told him? You? I swear to the gods if you have meddled in my life yet again I will”-  
“You’ll do nothing and we both know it.” The Dark One snapped, effectively cutting off Regina’s rant due to the fact that she realized he was right: she had been conditioned not to rebel against her creator and mentor from the newborn stage of her immortal life.   
“Anyway, who else knows your secret? Me, your father, who would never risk the safety of his only daughter, and…” The Queen roared, throwing a fireball the size of her head across the room.   
“Snow White! That insufferable princess!” Regina’s chest heaved with blind rage, and she suddenly felt the urge to slaughter an entire village for their blood. “I should have killed her the moment she saw me feed in the hallway! She’s poisoned Robin against me!”  
“My informants tell me she hired Robin to assassinate you.” Rumplestiltskin lied, reinforcing the lesson that love was weakness.   
“This letter was found in Robin’s chambers last week. It spells out the terms of their arrangement.” From his experience, it was the one message that proved true time and time again, and it was vital that his pupil believe it. “He never really loved you! It was all an act!”  
Regina snatched the conjured note out of her mentor’s hands and read it furiously, wholeheartedly believing that the handwriting on the forged document was Robin’s own.  
“I’m going to make her wish she was never born!” Regina hissed, eyes dilated and teeth bared. “But first Robin will pay for his deception!”   
With venomous tears streaking down her face, the Queen couldn’t help but remark on Ravenswood’s new occupant, Belle, and the Dark One’s personal relationship status.   
“I hope you have better luck with your lover then I did mine!” She didn’t stay to hear his answer, returning to her own castle in a stormy vortex of violet smoke.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle, 1560  
The day that Regina went inquiring about a solution to her infertility was the day that Robin decided to go deer hunting with a few members of the castle guard. He retuned late in the afternoon surprised to find his significant other on the warpath and ready to take his head.   
“Been off playing in the woods, I see!” The snide remark was full of hurtful intent, and Robin had to blink a few times to ensure that he wasn’t dreaming. Regina was striding toward him in an all black corseted ensemble complete with dark and heavy makeup, rendering him breathless for all the wrong reasons: this was the Regina he met three years ago.  
“Regina?” He voiced hesitantly, unsure of how to proceed. Robin had no idea what brought this on, but if it was his fault, he was going to fix it.  
“It’s Your Majesty!” She barked, lifting her chin in an air of regal superiority. “Care to tell me the truth, thief? Were you meeting with a certain princess in my absence?”   
The longer Regina masked her true emotions, the more they bled through, having the opposite effect on Robin. He knew he should be angry with her for throwing false accusations around, but the suffering in her eyes weakened his hostility.   
“Of course not, Regina!” While he refused to respond in kind, he couldn’t help but sound irritated. “Why would you think that? I would never betray your trust in that way!”  
“You know what I am!” The Queen screamed, lunging for his throat. “There are only three people in the kingdom that know my secret, and she is one of them!” Regina could feel Robin’s pulse accelerate as a reaction to her assault, but she was too angry to think about biting him.   
“Did you ever love me, or was that an act as well?”   
“What are you talking about, Regina?” He genuinely had no idea what she was on about, and tried in vain to throw her off of him. Not that he feared that she would hurt him, he deeply believed that she cared about him too much to do that, but she wasn’t herself at the moment. Anything she did now, he knew she would regret later.   
“I’m done listening to your lies!” She let go of his throat, but kept him pinned against the wall with one hand, the other moving to hover over his heart.   
“I was going to kill you, but unfortunately I’ve grown rather fond of you.” Regina softened her demeanor for just a moment, allowing one stray tear to escape down her cheek, before disappearing behind her villainous persona.   
“If you won’t choose to love me, I suppose I’ll just have to make you!” It happened like a flash of lightening: Regina’s pale hand invaded his chest, causing him to yell in pain. He felt a sharp tug, and then nothing at all. The Queen withdrew her hand, revealing a pulsing red organ in its grasp: she had just stolen his heart.  
“Now that I own you, be a good boy and go to my bedchamber, slave.” She hissed, speaking to the heart in her hand. “Your Queen demands that you fuck her until she can’t walk!”  
While shocked at the request, her command was hypnotic, and he suddenly found himself unable to do anything other than what was ordered of him. He marched off to the north wing of the castle heartless and numb, distraught that the woman he adored above all else was lost to the darkness.

Regina spiraled into madness over the next few months, no longer concerned with keeping up the pretense of being a benevolent monarch. She announced to her guard that they were to be focused on searching for Princess Snow White and nothing else; reporting to her any and all information about her stepdaughter’s location. To increase her chances of success, she decided to turn a small faction of her generals into vampires herself, calling her new order the Black Knights. With their military training, the vampire soldiers terrified the kingdom, feeding on helpless villagers when they couldn’t be of use to the cause.   
Refusing to be idle, the Queen led the cavalry on raids that, due to her temper, often ended in a razed village full of dozens of scorched victims. The atrocity soon became her signature method of torture, earning her the title of “Evil Queen” by the remainder of her fearful citizens.   
Robin remained her chained up lover, enduring long nights of strenuous and painful lovemaking that left him covered in bite marks and scratches he acquired while she fed off him mid-climax. While he initially detested being treated as her prey, he ultimately he came to enjoy it, attributing the change in behavior to his warped but desperate need for survival. With each passing night spent in erotic agony, Prince Robin Locksley became more determined to heal Regina’s blackened heart, even if it meant that he alone must suffer the dark and masochistic consequences of her sexual proclivities.


	6. Visitor from Oz

The Underworld  
Inner Sanctum, 1560  
Deep below the heart of all realms lay the Underworld, a hellish purgatory for countless of tortured souls. Its original purpose was to guide the various deceased inhabitants through their transition to Olympus or Tartarus, depending on the individual’s worth. However, the Titan rulers on Olympus were eventually overthrown by their children and imprisoned in the fiery pits of Tartarus itself. To maintain their captivity, Zeus ordered his brother Hades to take up permanent residence in the blazing inferno, much to the younger god’s displeasure.   
Not wanting to abandon the lavish Olympian lifestyle, the new Lord of Death constructed a massive palace from the existing mountains of obsidian and quartz in a prime location near the convergence point of the five vital rivers. Having no one to occupy it but himself, Hades quickly grew lonely and sculpted the Underworld’s first three-headed hellhound out of lava and ash, fondly naming the soon-to-be guardian of his domain, Cerberus.   
As the centuries passed, Hades became incredibly bored of his job: the mortals who passed through his realm never seemed to learn from their ancestor’s mistakes. The warriors died in battle, the elders from disease, the wicked were murdered, the normal citizens from old age, and the infant souls were immediately granted passage to Elysium, so hardly any judgment piqued his interest. This all changed when he discovered that increasing the number of souls in the Underworld magnified his power.   
Soon he stopped letting souls leave purgatory for his own selfish purposes, and the Underworld developed into a place of misery and sorrow, matching the continual mood of its overlord- for he still hadn’t found a wife. Hades resented his brother for that fact alone.   
About halfway into the Enchanted Forest’s 16th century, Lord Death sat and brooded in his inner sanctum with Cerberus at his side, the hound provided what little comfort a canine could to his divine master. His bedchamber was as opulent as expected for a dark god; marble and gold among the materials selected to decorate the master suite. A tiled mosaic depicting a war between angels and demons occupied the ceiling, while a Greek mural spread across all four walls. Hades sat out on the balcony overlooking the Styx with a first edition copy of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in his hand, harshly ordering his monstrous minions, Pain and Panic, to pour him ambrosia infused wine out of a golden bottle.   
“How many times have we told you to avoid that sickening drivel?” Pain admonished, as he gestured to the leather tome with distaste. “It always puts you in a terrible mood.”   
Panic nodded, as he filled Lord Death’s glass chalice with the alcoholic red liquid. “And may I add that every time we go through this, he never takes my advice? I’m telling you a single night with those brothel succubae solved all my problems!”  
Hades threw a large blue fireball in the demon’s direction, effectively demonstrating what he thought of Panic’s good-willed suggestion.   
“Hey! Watch it!” The teal creature moved out of the way at the last second, narrowly avoiding being burned to a crisp. “I’m still recovering from the last time you decided to use me for target practice!”   
“Will you shut your trap, Panic? You’re going to get us both fed to Cerberus!” Pain growled, as he kicked the other imp in the shin.  
“Silence!” Hades roared, as the top of his head exploded into a swirl of cerulean flames. “I will not entertain this uncivilized discussion any longer!”   
The god shut his eyes and took a few calming breaths to rein in his legendary temper, realizing that he had set fire to his suit jacket in his anger.   
Promptly extinguishing the flames, he continued on. “Now, can we please proceed to more relevant topics? I believe I asked you to monitor the Overworld and its mages, yes?”  
The creatures looked to one another nervously, as they quickly hiding a small gem from their employer’s view.   
“You did indeed, sir, and we did come across a witch who we thought you’d find particularly intriguing, except…” Pain hesitated, unsure of how Hades would react to their discovery. He took great interest in the magical advances of mortal sorcerers, but didn’t always agree with the more ambitious actions of some, and eliminated the threat to his throne in a blaze of fire and blood.   
“Except what? Quit stalling and tell me what happened!” Lord Death snapped and transported all three of them to his war room, which was equipped with the celestial orb he used to observe the other realms. Rapidly running out of patience, he pushed the imps closer to the orb and gestured to move things along.   
“Show me the sorceress!” At the forceful command, Pain took the viewing gem from his companion and dropped it into the pool of water surrounding the orb, causing an image of a familiar realm to ripple into view.  
“The Emerald Palace…” Hades muttered, as he recognized the unique interior décor from the memories of the long deceased Princess Ozma. Now that he had established which realm he was viewing, his mind began to consider the possible scenarios.   
Hades lost his train of thought when a breathtakingly beautiful woman appeared before him, draped in the finest of silks and covered in emeralds. She was as pale as death, with eyes the same shade of aquamarine as the Caribbean and hair the color of vibrant copper. The witch seemed to stare directly at him, hypnotizing him for a brief moment, before she shifted her focus to the weathered tome that rested on a matching pedestal. The gem only captured bits and pieces of her apparent research, but it was clear to the god that she was hard at work on a time travel spell; chasing the impossible.   
“We came across this peculiar little freak of nature a few days ago.” Panic commented, observing the god’s fixation on the mysterious mage. “Scared the hell right out of Pain with those teeth. We don’t think she’s mortal, but figured it was worth bringing it to your attention.”  
Lord Death rolled his eyes at their ignorance without averting his gaze from the witch in the orb. “She’s a vampire, you nitwits! Obviously not from birth, but immortal nonetheless.”  
“That explains a lot.” Pain remarked, embarrassed by his own stupidity.  
“How do you kill a vampire, anyway? Stake through the heart? Classic silver dagger?” Panic rambled, which caused Hades to magically choke him out of irritation.  
“I don’t plan to kill her. The talent and raw intelligence she possesses, to be as close to breaking the third law as she is, doesn’t come around every century. She’s far too valuable to dismiss based on some hypothetical future.”   
Lord Death then plucked the gem from the pool, causing the redhead’s image to fade from view. He thus surprised both of his servants by conjuring a shimmering portal to Oz, intending on visiting his newest potential ally.   
Just before he stepped through the portal, he proclaimed to his minions:  
“The Underworld is in need of a queen, and I just might have found her!”   
Oz: Central Region  
Emerald Palace, 1560  
“How many times do I have to tell the Lollipop Guild that if they want their damn yellow brick road repaired, they owe me ten pounds of gold!” Zelena huffed, as she took her frustration out on her flustered secretary.   
“Why does no one understand that all magic comes with a price! If I used my powers for everything this realm would be in worse shape than it already is!”  
“Duly noted, Your Highness.” Fiyero responded, as he scribbled out a message to be sent to Munchkin Land at the earliest convenience. “Will that be all?”  
The Empress massaged her temples in attempt to rid herself of the headache she could feel developing. “For now. On your way out, could you arrange for a few glasses of my special sangria to be sent up? I’m parched.” She referred to the blood and wine concoction the kitchen staff prepared from prisoners on death row.   
“Of course, Empress. I believe they made a fresh batch last night.” With that, Fiyero excused himself from her presence before she had the chance to feed off him instead. As he left, the Empress made herself comfortable on an upholstered chaise lounge, and decompressed from the day’s stress.   
Zelena’s gift was common knowledge among the Emerald Palace personnel, as the vampire made no effort to hide what she was. Unlike those who preferred to keep their connection private, Zelena took pride in her supernatural status. It allowed the public to view her with a healthy mix of fear and deference.   
“Finally, peace and quiet!” She tiredly exclaimed, choosing to look over her personal letters now that she was alone. Not surprisingly, the only unread letter was from Glinda up north, written for the sole purpose of informing her about the two new members she recruited for their coven: Oriana Gothel and Victoria Campana.   
With her banishment lifted after Zelena’s coronation, Glinda took the opportunity to travel to the remote kingdom of Corona in the Enchanted Forest upon hearing of a witch imprisoned in a tower. According to her sources, this Oriana Gothel kidnapped Princess Rapunzel when she was an infant, causing King Frederic to trap her in an abandoned spire for life. Fully expecting to find a long dead corpse, Glinda was pleasantly surprised to find Oriana alive and well. She offered to help this blonde sorceress escape her prison if Gothel would return to Oz and join her coven. Having no human contact in decades, Oriana hastily agreed, becoming the cardinal Witch of the South.   
It was a few months before Glinda returned to the Enchanted Forest, this time to Soleil. The sister of the disgraced noblewoman Madonna Tremaine, Victoria Campana, had lost control of her magic and put her daughter Drizella in a coma. Completely distraught, Victoria sought to use Princess Ella’s heart in a resurrection spell when she was caught sneaking into the palace to steal it. Glinda arrived right before Victoria was locked away, promising Prince Thomas that she would be dealt with accordingly. After they were both safe in Oz, Drizella revived and healthy, the East had its cardinal witch.   
Expanding the coven was one of Zelena’s top priorities, so she was immensely pleased by the news. She began to write back, to express her approval of Glinda’s choices, but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a cerulean inferno in her bedchamber. 

“Who the hell are you?” The Empress shouted at the intruder, jumping backward and baring her fangs in warning. To her shock and extreme displeasure, the uninvited stranger appeared completely unfazed by her display; like he had seen it all before.   
“Who the hell am I? That question is more appropriate than you know.” The statuesque blond stepped closer; close enough to reach out and touch her within arm’s length. She hissed again, hoping that another threat would deter him, but she was again disappointed as he kept talking.   
“Allow me to introduce myself, I am Hades.”   
The mention of his unique name quickly dissolved her anger and replaced it with a kind of haughty disbelief, causing her to relax her posture.   
“Really? King of the Underworld?” The idea that Lord Death was in her bedchamber was so ridiculous that she burst into laughter, only to stop abruptly when she saw his hair erupt into flames.   
“It seems my reputation precedes me.” Having stunned her into silence, Hades dutifully showed his respect of her status by kissing her jeweled hand, pleased that she hadn’t slapped him across the face.   
Zelena eyed him with great skepticism. Once she found her voice, she inquired testily, “To what do I owe this visit, Hades?”   
As he admired the way her ginger curls shone in the sunlight streaming through the window, Lord Death complimented, “You, beautiful one, have impressed me. I heard a rumor that you were dabbling in time travel; trying to achieve the unachievable.”  
“It won’t be unachievable for long!” The vampire snarled, offended that he thought she would fail her task. But that wasn’t the only reason for her anger: she suddenly found herself desperate for his divine approval.   
“That’s why I’m here, Zelena; I want to see you succeed. However, I also did a little research on your family before I came which you might find interesting. Your biological family.”   
With her curiosity piqued, she hung on his every word, and her captivating blue eyes instantly met his. “What are you talking about?”   
It was the redhead’s intense piercing stare that had the dark god wholly captivated under her seductive spell. 

“What kind of mother abandons their child in the woods to die?” Zelena yelled as she hurled a massive emerald colored fireball at the first target in her line of sight, which happened to be his head.  
“A morally despicable one.” Hades answered calmly as he sidestepped her projectile just as it was about to scorch his cheek. “Granted, I don’t have much room to talk, as my mother allowed Father to quite literally eat me after my birth.”  
“And all because she was dissatisfied with her position in the line of succession?” The Empress continued, ignoring Hades’ comments as she ranted. “Who is my father, anyway?”  
“Nobody of consequence. I wouldn’t concern yourself with contacting him, he never had royal status.” Lord Death reached into his blazer pocket and removed a a miniature portrait of Regina that had been commissioned for her wedding. “This is your maternal half-sister, Regina. The widowed queen of Lunaria; a kingdom in the Enchanted Forest.”   
Zelena took the painting from him and examined it. Thoughtfully, she studied the similarities between her sister’s deathly pale features and her own. “So she was turned as well.” She voiced, as she noticed the subtle distinguishing traits they had in common. “Does she favor our mother?”  
“Alas, no. You look more like Cora than she does, minus the red hair.” Hades supplied as he watched her sit back down on the chaise.   
“I see.” Zelena discarded the portrait and looked at Hades apprehensively; her self-confidence dwindled by the second.   
“What are you really getting at? Never mind my project, why would a god suddenly take interest in my bloodline?” The vampire empress’ posture grew stiff as her mind jumped to all kinds of wild conclusions. “Are you trying to pit us against each other for your own gain?”  
Hades was quick to deny her allegations, kneeling beside her to grasp both of her pale slender hands in his reassuringly. “Of course not! With the way Regina is behaving now, she’s going to get herself killed. If that happens, and I am confident it will, then that reduces the number of people she kills in order to feed. Fewer people killed means fewer souls in my domain.”   
Zelena exhaled in relief, now gazing at Hades inquisitively. “You want me to intervene, then? Talk some sense into her?”  
“After banishing your mother to another realm, she allied herself with Rumplestiltskin.”  
The Empress growled furiously as her face wrinkled in disgust. “That wretched imp! Whatever he wants with her, it’s self-serving. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s using her to get at the throne!”   
Hades was impressed yet again by her display of ingenuity and wit, feeling himself start to become aroused, he decided to chance whatever was developing between them and release her confined hands so he could move his own to her exposed thigh. “Here’s an idea, love: why don’t you beat the Dark One at his own game?” His hushed tone had the desired effect on the object of his affection: the redhead immediately shifted to allow him room on the chaise.   
“Let him control Lunaria. If you claim your birthright, Helios, you will level the playing field, quite possibly tipping the scales in your favor.” Lord Death continued as he maneuvered himself so that she was pinned under him; her supple and shapely body tempted him with every heaving breath. “And you will have me by your side as your husband” He finished and sealed their lips in a tender kiss. “How does that sound, gorgeous?”  
Zelena’s response came in the form of a gasp when Hades began to firmly tug at the laces of her corset, fully surrendering to his heated touch. She had never had the fortune of experiencing such intimacy from any man, much less a god, and it was intoxicating.   
Hades was equally delirious, drowning in wave after wave of her whimpers and moans. In the midst of their passionate embrace, the god elevated the mood by panting a barely audible “I love you” into her neck.   
To his delight, the sentiment was enthusiastically, repeatedly, and loudly reciprocated. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Helios  
Astral Castle, 1560  
Thirty-three years had passed since their youngest granddaughter’s birth, and in that time frame bitter misfortune fell upon King Nicholas and his wife Alexandra. That winter, Alexander, Emilia, and Christopher all decided to stay at Astral Castle for Christmas (Cora was declared unfit to travel long distances, having recently given birth, and was understandably absent from the gathering). By Christmas Eve, the kingdom was covered in a thick blanket of snow, so the young royals thought nothing of a spontaneous scenic carriage ride through the woods.   
Alas, the particular coach they chose for this venture was not properly outfitted for icy conditions, and overturned as they traversed the frozen Lake Chimera The ice shattered upon impact, sending all three passengers into the frigid waters. Tragically, they succumbed to hypothermia before help could arrive, devastating their loving parents. As a result of this disastrous loss, two-year-old Zelena unwittingly became second in line for the throne after her mother; pushing her younger sister back one position.   
This monumental fact was unknown to both Hades and Zelena when they arrived in Helios as a newly engaged couple. They had no trouble procuring an audience with the king once Zelena gave her imperial title, hastily brought to the castle by strangely dressed guards, whose uniforms seemed better suited for a more northern climate.   
“Prince Hans will see to you shortly.” One of the guards stated as he bid them to wait outside the throne room for their appointment.   
“Prince Hans?” Zelena voiced when the guard was out of sight. “Didn’t you tell me my grandfather’s name was Nicholas?”   
Hades didn’t answer her right away, staring at the stone floor with his face set in a frown. “I did indeed, and I am confident that he had no sons named Hans.”  
“Then who is sitting on my family’s throne?” Zelena relayed expectantly as she looked to her fiancé for an answer that he could not give her.   
They weren’t left in suspense for long, as the same guard from earlier returned with an entourage. “Right this way, Your Imperial Highness.”  
Zelena nodded in acknowledgement of the order and followed directly behind the armed men, Hades on her arm.   
“If at any moment I suspect danger, I’m taking you straight to the Underworld without hesitation. That’s not up for discussion.” Hades murmured, firmly gripping his lover’s bicep as a precautionary measure.   
The vampire empress was about to voice her dissent when their escort stopped a few feet in front of an ornate throne, occupied by a mere eighteen-year-old boy. 

“Empress Zelena, what a surprise.” The auburn-haired prince declared, as he drummed his fingers on top of the clawed arm of the throne. “We weren’t expecting a delegation from Oz this morning.”  
“That was my intention.” The redheaded witch replied, her tone implying she wasn’t a woman to be toyed with. “I wanted to see who was occupying my grandfather’s castle.”  
Hans, unaware that the lady before him had the ability to tear him limb from limb, leaned forward and drew his eyebrows together in anger. “How dare you insinuate that I am not the rightful ruler of this kingdom! Helios is fortunate that I was available to fill the position after old King Nicholas died.”  
“Yes, just where did you come from, anyway? Hans doesn’t strike me as a name typical for this region of the Enchanted Forest.” Hades interrogated, wanting the arrogant child to incriminate himself in front of Zelena.  
“Aren’t you clever?” Hans mocked, as he gestured to the captain of his guard. “You’re correct, my men and I hail from Arendelle. There was…an incident with Queen Gerda that forced me to seek refuge in another kingdom.”   
“And you took advantage of a weak old man.” Zelena surmised hotly as she forced herself to stay calm. With all the armored guards in the room, her supernatural status no longer gave her the upper hand. “Am I supposed to believe his death was natural?”   
“No need for such hostility, Empress. I did not harm the sovereign or his wife. It was simply their time.” Hans placated and signaled for his guard to lower their raised weapons.   
Hades, unlike his fiancée, didn’t believe the prince for a millisecond, so he decided to push for information about his banishment. “You say you had no part in their deaths, but it is curious that you were expelled from Arendelle. Care to explain?”   
“Alright, fine. My parents rule over the Southern Isles, a tiny nation you most likely have never heard of. As the youngest of thirteen, I quickly figured out that I had no shot at the throne.” Hans bitterly admitted, seething into his goblet of ale. “So, I decided to marry into another monarchy, one with influence. Arendelle was the perfect candidate, as there were two unwed daughters to choose from.”  
Zelena scoffed, disgusted with what she was hearing. “Queen Gerda agreed to this?”   
“At first. Her eldest wanted nothing to do with me, but the younger one, Anna, was overjoyed by the idea. We made our engagement official within a few days, but then the princess discovered my aversion to magic.”  
“Her sister’s an ice mage,” Hades clarified, “Not many of them in existence; I am meticulous in my bookkeeping.”   
Suddenly, Hans’ whole demeanor changed, the prince’s face turning a shade of scarlet out of rage. “An insult to humanity! That girl is a danger to everyone in Arendelle! She should have been killed!”  
Zelena was beginning to understand why the queen had forced him into exile. “You planned an assassination attempt, then?”  
“Of course I did, it’s much easier to win public approval by acting as their savior! With her gone, Arendelle would have happily supported Anna’s ascension to the throne.” Hans was still angry, but recounting the past seemed to have calmed him down slightly.   
“So you fled the kingdom seeking asylum. But why here?”   
With all the arrogance of a spoiled brat, Hans replied, “Back when I had a tutor, I remembered his casual mention that King Nicholas and his wife suffered the tragic loss of three of their four children. Their youngest was already married off to the now king of Solis, so I assumed that this throne would be vacated after the king’s death. I was right.” The prince finished his story brazenly, daring Zelena to challenge his claim.   
“I disagree. Their youngest child had two daughters, but only one with the king of Solis.” Zelena smirked, as she reveled in the news of her current place in the monarchy. “The other daughter…well, you’re looking at her.”  
Hans sputtered, as his claim to the throne of Helios fell like a dilapidated house of cards. “What? Impossible! The royal records indicated that Cora had one daughter, Regina, who married King Leopold of Lunaria. There was nothing about a second child!”   
“I hate to disappoint you, but like it or not, you’re sitting on my throne!” Zelena drew back her upper lip slightly to reveal the pointed tips of her fangs. Hades got the message, disarming the guards with the mere snap of his fingers.   
“Mage!” One of the guards screeched in panic, as he abandoned his post. The rest followed suit, leaving Hans unprotected and vulnerable.   
This turn of events made the prince realize that Zelena was not what she seemed, and he attempted to flee, blurting out in his haste “Look, I’m sorry! I was wrong! This throne was never mine to claim!”   
“I’m glad you’ve come to your senses,” the Empress said as she caught up to him easily, “but I can’t let such a crime go unpunished.” She hauled him up by the throat, about to sink her fangs into his neck, when Hans choked out:  
“You’re the Evil Queen!” His incorrect conclusion caused Zelena to squeeze him tighter, her sharp nails close to puncturing his trachea.   
“Excuse me?” She glanced at Hades, who appeared just as confused as she was.  
Hans, still caught helplessly in her grip, attempted to gesture at his mouth. “Your teeth.”   
Unfortunately, they weren’t going to get more of an explanation from him, as Zelena’s bloodlust took precedent. When her eyes glazed over, the vampire growled and ripped his throat wide open, greedily draining the blood from his body.   
“You couldn’t have waited just a little longer?” Hades sighed as he watched his significant other satisfy her thirst. “He knew of another vampire, by the sound of it also a monarch.”   
“Hush, dearest.” The self-declared queen of Helios lightly reprimanded once she had finished feeding and carelessly discarded the corpse of her latest meal. “All is not lost. My dear former mentor may know who she is.”  
Hades hummed in agreement, summoning Pain and Panic to clean up the mess. “Ah yes, Rumplestiltskin. When do you want to meet with him?”   
Zelena shrugged as she walked up bloodstained stairs to sit on her newly acquired throne. “In a bit.” She patted the empty seat next to her in an attempt to get the god to join her. “Come, let’s revel in our victory.”   
Hades was not about to argue with that. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle, 1560  
The immortal couple’s visit with the Dark One proved to be more productive than they anticipated. At first, he feigned ignorance, but after some convincing, he willingly disclosed all he knew about the vampire monarch appropriately titled “The Evil Queen”. Zelena had her suspicions about the whole affair, given the difficulty of obtaining the information, but his intelligence seemed genuine: they would find this villainous sovereign residing at Phobos Castle close by.   
They knew they had the right fortress when two of Regina’s Black Knights stopped them at the portcullis and demanded to know what business they had with the queen. Having very little patience for diplomacy, Zelena simply flashed her teeth and growled at the two weaker vampires, establishing dominance. Instinctively understanding that the redhead was stronger and could overpower them easily, the guards stepped aside and let the couple pass.   
“I’ve decided that fear is quite an effective tool,” Zelena remarked as they strolled through the courtyard unbothered, “Don’t you agree?”  
“It certainly has its benefits.” Hades answered and discreetly scanned their surrounds for signs of an ambush, as he knew nothing about the integrity of this vampire queen.   
Zelena followed her fiancé’s lead and preemptively flexed her fingers to get the magic flowing in her right arm. “Do you think Her Majesty is in a receptive mood today?”  
“My darling,” Hades addressed, brushing a stray ginger curl out of her face, “If she’s not, she’ll have to answer to me.”

Assuming that the queen would follow the usual protocol, Hades and Zelena were surprised to find out that Her Majesty was awaiting them in the stables, as she didn’t want to delay her scheduled early morning ride through the expansive grounds. When only Zelena’s presence was requested, due to the fact that the queen didn’t want too large of a traveling party, Hades was somewhat disappointed. Because he wouldn’t be able to act as a barrier between the two women if things turned hostile, Hades stayed behind and chose to strike up a conversation with a rather distinguished gentleman by the name of Henry back at the castle.   
Zelena was leant a magnificent white thoroughbred from Her Majesty’s impressive selection of stallions, and was being helped into the saddle by one of the stable hands when the queen approached, wearing all black. The Empress didn’t get a good look at the queen, only noticing her thick raven braid, because the sovereign quickly bypassed her guest to fetch Rocinante from his stall. However, once Zelena saw her face, she found she clearly recognized her riding partner.  
“Regina?” The informal address had touched a nerve, causing the sovereign to glare at the redhead and hiss,  
“It’s Your Majesty!” Regina ordered as she mounted her horse with a practiced finesse and brought him up to a slow trot, leading the pair out into an open field.   
Zelena hurried to catch up, as she maneuvered her stallion with less grace. “My apologies, Your Highness. I simply was caught off guard. It won’t happen again.” There were a few minutes of tense silence until her sister spoke again:  
“You’re unfamiliar with my kingdom.” The brunette stated as they rode and she observed the wondrous gaze of her companion.   
“Oh?” The Empress raised an eyebrow in an attempt to appear nonchalant.   
“None of my subjects refer to me by my given name, not even other monarchs. They know better.” Having calmed down enough to carry a conversation, Regina slowed Rocinante to a walk and Zelena following suit.  
“Seeing as you’ve traveled a considerable distance to meet with me, I assume you and your lover are here on important business.”  
“We are. I’m originally from Oz, but I had a personal issue develop in Helios, where Hades and I encountered Prince Hans of the Southern Isles.” Regina growled in disgust when Zelena uttered his name, completely disgusted.  
“I won’t bore you with the details, but right before I ended his life he told me of a vampire monarch in Lunaria called the Evil Queen. As a vampire monarch myself, I had to investigate.”  
Regina scowled at the moniker, but didn’t deny the claim either. Instead, she focused on the later half of the redhead’s statement. “I knew we were the same as soon as you arrived; I couldn’t detect a pulse.”   
“Likewise. Although, I will say, I am curious as to how you earned that title. Hans seemed quite terrified when he saw my fangs.” Zelena gently prompted, curious to know how her sister handled their shared affliction. “What happened between the two of you?”  
The younger sister frowned as Zelena’s mention of Hans brought back unpleasant memories. “I did some…morally questionable things that I don’t wish to discuss at the moment. But to answer your question about Hans, he asked for my hand in marriage and I drove him out of my kingdom by force.” Regina remembered her companion’s earlier admission and thought it appropriate to voice her gratitude. “Thank you, by the way, for taking care of him.”   
“It was my pleasure; he was a disgusting little weasel.”

They eventually stopped at a small lake to let their horses rehydrate, and Regina took the opportunity to question the fellow vampire about herself. “So you’re from Oz, initially?”  
“Yes, my father was a nobody, and my mother was a witch from this realm who abandoned me from birth. I grew up with adoptive parents just outside the Emerald City, but my new father was an abusive drunk. This lead me to study magic, but I wasn’t able to do so until after I was bitten. Then recently, I met Hades and he told me about my sister, Queen Regina.” Zelena waited for the brunette, who had made the connection, to recover from the shock.  
“You’re my sister?” Regina stuttered.  
Zelena nodded.  
Caught between a state of denial and confusion, Regina sighed in disgust. “How is this possible? Mother never told me about you!”   
Zelena scowled and folded her arms across her chest. “No, I suppose she didn’t. Why would she acknowledge the existence of a bastard on her prestigious family tree?”  
“Prestigious family tree?” Regina breathed, incredulous. “You have no idea what a torment it was to be her daughter! What she expected from me!”   
“Enlighten me, then!” Zelena snapped back. “Please elaborate on how growing up a crown princess was so terrible!”   
“Cora, our dear mother, was mentally, emotionally, and physically abusive. She always made me feel inferior to her, and used dark magic as corporal punishment. I was her doll, a living puppet whose sole purpose was to marry into a prominent monarchy and reign supreme over my subjects.” Regina silenced her sister before she could interject and finished with, “Despite everything, I still love her.”   
Zelena listened to Regina’s description of Cora and found it difficult to resent the life of someone, who, quite possibly, had it worse than she did in Oz. But that didn’t stop her from trying: “But what about your marriage? Isn’t that every girl’s dream?”   
The queen’s laugh was bitter. With her back turned to Zelena as she returned the saddle to her now content horse. “It would have been if I had loved him. Leopold was old enough to be my father, and only saw me as a nanny for his young daughter; damn her!”   
“I don’t follow?”  
“His daughter, Snow White, saw me feed off of a palace guard and told her father even when I pleaded with her not to. Fortunately, Leopold brushed it off as a child’s imagination but Daniel, my lover, overheard. Once he knew the truth, he never wanted to see me again.” Regina seethed, her anger evident when Rocinante neighed from her rough handling of him. Atop the horse, waiting for Zelena, Regina added “She ruined my chance at happiness!”  
The Empress was sympathetic with her newfound sister’s desire for revenge, and figured that if she could no longer truly resent Regina, she could at least help her destroy her stepdaughter. “Thank you for reminding me of my relative good fortune.” Zelena joked, wanting to slide in one last snide comment at her sister’s expense. “But in all seriousness, I’m sorry. That’s genuinely terrible.”  
“Speaking of terrible, were you bitten by Rumplestiltskin?” The pair were halfway back to the castle when Regina spoke, thinking that their shared affliction wasn’t a coincidence.   
Zelena laughed and met Regina’s gaze. “Both of us, sisters, happen to be vampire witches. What are the odds of that?”   
“I suppose you have a point.” The queen remarked, the fortress in the distance growing more visible. “Did you also find him to be a miserable, manipulative bastard?”   
The redhead responded appropriately, and wondered if Regina would eventually accept her as family. It was ridiculous, but she suddenly found herself craving her sister’s approval. And based on their conversation, she knew exactly how she was going to achieve that: help Regina murder Snow White.

After bidding her sister and her fiancé farewell, Regina retired to her chambers to wash away the dirt and grime acquired on her excursion. Her handmaidens were already there waiting for her to return so they could draw hot water into the marble bathtub that was large enough for two. The queen dismissed them as soon as the water level was to her liking, stripped, and eased her body into the tub with a sigh of relief.   
Regina soaked in solitude for fifteen glorious minutes until she was disturbed by the sound of her chamber door opening and something heavy being dropped onto the floor.   
“Bloody hell, what a day!” A masculine voice exclaimed, his unique accent easily identifiable to the queen. As was their routine, Robin would visit her chambers in the late afternoon when he finished with a job. Regina then linked the deposited heavy object with his bow and quiver and chuckled to herself.   
“Oh? Do tell!” She teased and unlocked the door to her lavatory with a wave. “In fact, I command you to undress and join me, slave. I have news of my own.”   
In this instance, her demand was unnecessary, as Robin would have reacted the same way voluntarily were his heart still in his chest. He shed his clothes in no time and eagerly climbed into the tub opposite his raven haired mistress. In contrast to her perfect porcelain skin, his naked body was bruised and covered in scars.   
“Is this to Her Majesty’s satisfaction?” Robin asked, referring to his state of undress.   
Regina rested her back against the end of the tub and purred her approval as her gaze lingered over the huntsman’s toned chest. “Indeed, but that will have to wait. I finally have something we can use against Snow White, or more appropriately, someone.”   
“Not this nonsense again!” Robin groaned in exasperation, making known his dislike of the topic. “We’ve talked about this!”  
“Don’t you take that tone with me!” Regina yelled, suddenly putting him in a magical chokehold. “As I recall, slaves don’t get to argue!”   
The prince struggled for air, and was grateful when she withdrew her hand. “Stubborn woman...” He softly muttered as he caught his breath.   
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.” Regina declared; the last of her patience gone with Robin’s comment. “Shall we discuss my findings from today?”  
“As you wish.” Robin agreed, not wanting another punishment.   
“It turns out that the foreign queen I met with this morning is the new ruler of Helios, and Empress of Oz.” Regina reached for the bottle of lavender oil beside the tub and began to rub it into her skin. “She’s also my sister. A vampire sorceress, like me.”   
Extremely troubled, the prince said nothing in order to conceal his alarm. If Regina’s sister was anything like her, the kingdom was doomed.   
“I plan to have Zelena help us track down my insufferable stepdaughter with her army of flying monkeys.”   
Eyes wide at the mention of flying monkeys, Robin couldn’t contain himself any longer. “This is madness! Regina, please reconsider your actions!” He attempted to make her see sense by placing a hand on her shoulder, only to have it roughly smacked away.  
“Madness? You and I both know the girl has to die!” Regina hissed, baring her fangs uncontrollably.   
“Do we? She hasn’t told anyone about your condition since you exiled her!”  
“And it’s only a matter of time until she does!” Regina lunged forward and grabbed Robin by the throat, sending waves of water splashing onto the floor. “Just what do you think will happen when people find out a vampire sits on their throne? We’ll both be killed; you by association!”   
The crazed look on Regina’s face reminded Robin that she wasn’t human, and that he was putting his life in danger by being in such close proximity to an angry vampire. “If you kill Snow White,” he reasoned, “the people will revolt and demand your head!”  
“They can’t revolt if they’re dead!” Regina growled, the weight of her body crushing him against warm marble.   
As he discerned that she was currently lost to all rational thought, Robin inhaled sharply and braced himself for the bite he knew was coming.


	7. Wolf Territory

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Polaris  
Sherwood Forest, 1561  
“Sir, can I interest you in a piece of jewelry?” Snow inquired to the first merchant that she came across, a ruby brooch nestled in the center of her outstretched palm.   
Curious, the vendor accepted the luxurious pin from the brunette and examined its seller with keen interest. He was confused, as it was a piece of exceptional value, and the young woman in front of him was dressed like a commoner. “You don’t look like a peddler.”  
“I’m not,” The princess replied, her answer surprising the merchant, “but there was an emergency and I’ve been forced to sell. That would make a lovely gift for your wife.”   
She left unsaid that the emergency she was referring to was her recent forced departure from Lunaria, driven from Gemma Lucas’ care after one too many close calls with Regina’s guards. Now that she was on her own in a foreign kingdom, she did whatever she could to afford food and shelter.   
“I’ll give you…three coppers.” His lowball offer shocked, and slightly offended, the young royal.  
“Sir, I’m sure you realize it is worth a hundred times that. It’s a family heirloom that belonged to my mother.”  
The additional information made the vendor’s eyes light up. “I only know one family with heirlooms that valuable. What is your name?”  
Snow inwardly panicked; she wasn’t thinking and said too much. Once he figured out who she was, Regina would, again, be hot on her trail.   
“Three coppers would be fine, just fine.” She quickly accepted the few coins and ran for her life, her behavior suspicious to all in the camp. 

Snow didn’t stop running until she was safely deep in the woods, her newfound fairy friend anxiously awaiting the outcome of her bartering venture.   
“You only got three coppers?” The blue-winged creature sighed, her expression both disappointed and sympathetic.   
“He was on to me! If I told him anything else, he would have turned me over to the sheriff, who in turn would have alerted Regina.” The princess growled as she kicked a nearby rock in frustration. “And before you ask, no, the sheriff will not honor my father’s relationship with King Edward.”  
“Even so, how can you be certain that he won’t seek out this Sheriff of Nottingham fellow?” Blue inquired as she hovered near Snow, still fairy-sized.  
“Oh I know his type: corrupt and greedy! He’s just happy to have gotten something of value for next to nothing, he won’t tip anyone off.”  
Suddenly, there was a rustle in the trees that caused Blue to go rigid. “I think you might be wrong about that,” the fairy countered, the statement alerting Snow to immediate danger. “Run!”  
The princess turned to do just that, and was greeted with the sight of a large ax being hurled at her head. With little time to react, Snow luckily dodged the blow, which gave Blue an opportunity to momentarily distract their attacker.   
As he was now occupied, Snow picked up the ax buried in the dirt and threw it back to disarm him. Blue then used magic to become human-sized, making the fight two against one. Not liking the changed odds, the woodsman abruptly fled.   
“Who was he?” Blue asked once she was no longer out of breath.   
Snow shrugged, breathless herself. “Must be a bounty hunter of some kind. That merchant must have tipped off Nottingham after all.”   
Becoming exasperated, Snow snapped, “Blue, I can’t stay here. I’m a princess! The forest is no place for me!” She whined as she pulled at her hair.   
“Then where else will you go?” The fairy inquired, at a loss for how to comfort the young woman.   
“I don’t know! Away from here!” Snow exclaimed as she stomped off into the woods, Blue following behind. 

“Princess, listen to me, the fairies can help you!” Blue pleaded as Snow continued to march onward with no goal in sight. “We can get you back home!”  
Not persuaded by the fairy’s offer, the brunette responded with pessimism. “Home is where your family is, and by now that’s pretty much a bloodthirsty demonic queen that’s trying to kill me.”  
Blue ignored the remark and tried again to lift the young royal’s spirits. “There’s an old fairy saying: if someone believes in you, you’re never alone. The people love you!”  
“Given the choice between me and my stepmother, I’m sure they do.” Snow replied, not looking in Blue’s direction.  
“Be patient, princess. You’ll gain supporters soon enough.” The fairy patted her shoulder, forcing her to meet her gaze. “I must be going now, but you know how to summon me.”   
Snow nodded and gave her friend a parting embrace. “Of course, just wish upon a star!”  
The fairy smiled as she turned back into her fairy form, leaving the brunette with one last piece of advice: “Be careful. Danger can appear harmless at first.”  
As Blue flew away, Snow found herself already missing the fairy’s company.

After a few hours of walking, Snow was pleasantly surprised when a stray dog crossed her path. She had a soft spot for animals, and this shaggy mongrel was no exception.   
“Hey!” She cooed as the collie approached, “Where did you come from?” The dog, happy to receive attention, wagged his tail and barked when she reached out to pet him.   
Unfortunately, it turned out that the dog had an owner who wasn’t far behind, wielding the same ax from earlier.   
“I see you met my friend.” The bounty hunter stated as he buried his weapon into a tree stump.  
“You!” Snow yelped upon recognizing him, “How did you find me?” She stared at him wide-eyed and frozen to the spot.  
“Well, you’re nothing but a lost little princess, and this particular breed excels at finding strays.” He showed her the scrap of torn fabric he acquired from their previous encounter. “They just need to get a scent.”  
When the woodsman came closer, Snow spat in his face.   
“Oh come on, I’m not going to kill you!” He laughed as he wiped his face off, “I’m just going to take you to your queen and get a reward!” Before she could escape, he grabbed her by the arm and threw her into his nearby bounty wagon.

“Let me out!” Snow screamed as she repeatedly kicked the padlocked door in desperation. They had been travelling for at least an hour, by her estimation, and when the wagon suddenly stopped, the princess didn’t waste a second.  
“Someone help!” She yelled as loud as she could to attract attention, but received nothing but silence in return for her efforts. No one was going to come to her rescue.  
Having resigned herself to that fact, the brunette was stunned when her cries were answered.   
“Hello?” A man inquired as he banged on the door, “Is anyone in there?”   
Initially, she was overcome with relief, but then she recognized his voice. “David? Is that you?” She held her breath until he responded.  
“Snow? Princess Snow?” He simultaneously sounded confused and grateful. “Thank the gods, I thought you were dead!”  
“I will be if you don’t break the lock!” She exclaimed as adrenaline coursed through her veins, “Quick, he’ll be back any minute!”   
As his footsteps receded, Snow was left to worry about his safety. If her captor found him, he would surely be killed. However, the prince returned with a rock large enough to smash the padlock, doing so with considerable strength.   
Once she was free, Snow joyfully embraced her savior. “I’ve never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life! What are you doing out here, anyway?”  
David chuckled as they made their escape. “My father sent me to meet with King Edward, although he was sparse on the details. I’m supposed to discuss our alliance or something equally boring.”   
Puzzled, Snow watched him mount his horse, packed with enough supplies for a long journey. “Even so, this isn’t the predominant path from Nyx.”  
“I took the scenic route.” The prince answered and motioned for her to join him atop his stallion. When they were a safe distance away from the bounty hunter, David was full of questions.   
“What’s going on, Snow?” He asked, which caused the princess to cringe and sigh deeply.  
“Other than my stepmother wanting me dead? Not much.” She bitterly chuckled and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m sure you’ve seen the posters.”  
“Everyone in the Enchanted Forest has, you’ve been missing for the past three years! Hell, it’s been so long that most people think you’re dead!” He looked back at Snow resting on his shoulder. “I’m assuming you ran away?”  
“It’s more than that, Regina is…dangerous. That’s all I can say.”  
David raised an eyebrow, “Dangerous how? Snow, you can trust me. We’re friends, remember?”  
Snow shook her head. “It’s insane, you’ll never believe me. And even if you did, you can’t repeat it to anyone.”  
“Try me.”  
The princess took a deep breath to prepare herself for his reaction. “Regina was bitten by a vampire before she married my father.” 

“So…the queen’s afraid you’ll spread the word.” David stated after hearing Snow’s confession, still trying to take it all in.  
“Among other things, yes. She still hasn’t forgiven me for Daniel’s desertion.” The princess replied, surprised at how well David was handling the information.  
“Which wasn’t your fault, I would have run away too if I was in his situation.” David let go of the reins to massage his temples. “Gods, Snow. You’re lucky to be alive.”  
“I have her father to thank for that.” She admitted, reflecting back on the night Henry helped her flee the castle. “He got me out of her clutches, and in exchange only asked for my silence.”  
David scoffed, finding the request ludicrous. “He can’t seriously expect you to hold your tongue? Snow, who knows how many people she’s killed!”  
“Which is why I have to stay silent until we have proper forces. If we go up against Regina without an army, it’ll be a massacre!”   
The prince begrudgingly agreed, but that didn’t stop him from suggesting a plan of his own. “Wasn’t your father friends with King Edward? Accompany me to Lionheart Castle and ask the king for his support.”  
It was a tempting offer, and one that Snow couldn’t bring herself to turn down. She missed the comforts of home, and King Edward’s castle was as close as she was going to get.   
“It’s worth a shot.” Snow replied, amused by David’s immediate victory yell.   
“Well then, princess,” He proclaimed as he eased his stallion into a gallop, “adventure awaits!” 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Polaris  
Lionheart Castle, 1561  
The crown prince’s prolonged absence caused Polaris to descend into a period of constitutional vulnerability. With the heir to the throne gone, the few aristocrats opposed to Locksley rule rebelled in an insurrection that was subdued in a swift and effective manner. However, because of the unrest, the council called into question the future of the current monarchy.   
“Your Majesty, surely you understand our concerns?” Lord Walton’s gruff inquiry echoed throughout the ornate chamber as the nobleman gestured to his peers. “We agreed to a few months, not a few years!”  
Similar statements filled the grand hall until King Edward called for silence, his hand raised in gesture. “Alright, enough! I will not have this meeting dissolve into chaos!” Once everyone had settled down, the monarch continued:  
“As for the matter at hand, Lord Walton, your anxieties are well received: my son’s prolonged absence has not been ignored. In light of the uprising, and for the sake of stability, Eleanor and I are prioritizing his return home.”   
Mollified, the lords of Polaris took their sovereign’s answer as confirmation that the crown prince would soon resume his regal duties, an action that they hoped would prevent future revolts.   
“That’s all we ask for, Your Majesty. The people will be glad to hear it!” Lord Canterbury exclaimed as the session concluded, the congregation on their feet for King Edward’s departure. 

“How dare they question your capabilities as a monarch!” Eleanor voiced, outraged, as her husband communicated the outcome of the morning’s session. “Our son’s absence from court has no bearing on your competence!”  
The Locksley king relaxed his posture in an effort to calm his wife. “Dear, I appreciate your undying confidence, but you shouldn’t take it personally. It’s their job to hold us accountable.” Edward continued to hold Eleanor’s heated gaze with his own. “Besides, they have a point: it’s high time Robert was returned to us.”  
His spouse acquiesced with a heavy sigh as she rubbed her temples. “I don’t disagree Edward, but it’s been months since we’ve heard from him. I can’t control court gossip for much longer.”   
“No I suppose not, not with Nottingham spreading endless rumors and inciting panic.” Edward replied as his wife followed him to the study.   
The monarch then drafted a letter to Queen Regina requesting that his son be released from her employment and left it on the desk to be sent out. Satisfied, Eleanor was about to ask her husband if he wanted anything to drink when they were interrupted by their youngest son Charles.   
“Mother! Father!” The youthful prince shouted, his tone implying a degree of urgency. “Prince David has arrived, as expected, but he isn’t alone. The guards weren’t sure, but they thought a woman was with him!”   
The royal couple wore matching inquisitive expressions as they listened to their son’s information. Who was this mysterious woman?  
After a few moments of thought, the king quickly decided to proceed as normal. “It’s alright Charles, have them escorted to the throne room straight away. I don’t foresee any danger.”  
As the young prince took his leave, the king and queen found themselves supremely unsettled by this new development. 

From his throne, Edward held his breath as young Prince David and his lady companion arrived, anxious about the reason for this stranger’s visit. While he trusted David, and his judgment, the last thing Polaris needed was more conflict.   
“I apologize for my delayed arrival,” the prince began, “but during my journey I encountered someone who is in desperate need of your assistance and protection.” He gestured to the brunette at his side, who curtseyed appropriately.   
Edward was surprised that this woman knew how to follow protocol, given her state of appearance, and wanted to inquire further.   
“Go on then, child,” he lightly encouraged, “speak freely. No harm will come to you here.”  
The girl looked unsure as she stepped forward, but recovered well, her posture confident as she addressed the monarch. “King Edward, you may not recognize me, as it’s been years since we saw each other, but I am Princess Snow White.” She noted the shock on the elder Locksley’s face, but proceeded with her request. “As an ally of my late father, I humbly ask for your cooperation in the upcoming war against my stepmother.”  
King Edward didn’t respond until he had composed himself, completely overwhelmed by the implications of the reveal. “Well, I certainly was not expecting this!” He continued to stare at Snow in total awe. “When Regina announced her intent, we feared the worst was going to happen. Thankfully, I am relieved that we were wrong.”  
“So am I.” Snow replied as she watched the king descend from his throne. “I take no day for granted anymore.”  
Once the pair had properly embraced, Edward suggested that they move their discussion to the private apartments and away from court gossips. His guests took no issue with the proposal, which is why Eleanor found the trio casually seated around the fireplace in the library.   
“…I’m all for disposing of that witch!” The queen overheard as she entered the room. “She is holding my son hostage!”   
“Edward!” his wife admonished, “that’s not true!”  
The monarch’s disgusted scoff demonstrated that he entirely disagreed with her opinion. “Then what the bloody hell do you call it?” He growled, “Diplomacy?”   
Snow and David both raised an eyebrow at the king’s outburst, the princess utterly confused. “Is this a recent development? As far as I can recall, Regina never spoke of visitors.”  
“Queen Regina came to Polaris two years ago after hearing stories of our Robert’s achievements. She wanted him to be her personal huntsman.” Eleanor clarified upon observing her husband’s emotional state. “And ever the gentleman, Robert accepted.”  
“Of course he did!” The king spat. “He’s a man! The poor sod fell victim to a pretty face and a tantalizing figure!”  
David looked to Snow to confirm Edward’s rather bold description of the queen. “The only time I met your stepmother was at your birthday ball, but I was too young to remember what she looked like.”  
“King Edward is correct in his characterization of Regina,” the princess responded, “in fact I’m not surprised that Prince Robert went with her willingly. She has a rather…seductive effect on most men.”   
The sovereign mumbled in agreement and tilted his head in his wife’s direction. “Dear, what are your thoughts on the subject? Should we support Princess Snow’s cause?”  
“Of course!” Eleanor replied, her stance on the matter resolute, “We owe it to Leopold to ensure his daughter’s welfare.”  
“And bring Robert home.” Edward concluded, pleased that they were in agreement with one another.   
Satisfied, the queen was about to excuse herself from their guests when it occurred to her that they were forgetting the most loyal of their subjects. “Edward, let’s arrange for Snow and David to meet with the Merry Men. They will want to be involved in this.”   
The blond monarch considered the idea for a brief moment before he voiced his assent, unable to find fault with her proposal. “Brilliant, Eleanor, why didn’t I think of that?”   
He rose from his seat and retrieved a gold tipped arrow ingeniously hidden in one of the statues. “There is an odd looking tree near the mouth of the Nottingham River, you likely saw it on your way to the castle.” The king explained as he handed the arrow to David. “It’s carved to look like a lion.”  
“Yes, I know the one.” The prince affirmed as he tucked the pointed weapon into his quiver. “I assume you want us to leave it there?”  
Edward nodded. “It’s a symbol Robert established to signal when he needed them. Target that particular tree, and they will come.” 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Polaris  
Sherwood Forest, 1561  
Much to their surprise, the king’s instructions were genuine. Once they placed the arrow, three hooded figures emerged from the trees, all with their bows drawn.   
“Who are you, and what have you done with Robin?” The tallest of the three demanded as he stepped closer, his expression guarded yet curious.   
Snow immediately raised her hands to show that they meant no harm. “Easy! I promise you we are not your enemy, we’re here on behalf of King Edward!”  
“Ol’ Ned?” The shortest of the trio inquired as he lowered his bow. “Has something happened?”  
The giant introduced himself as Little John and led the group away from the meeting point. “You’ll have to excuse us, ever since the unrest we’ve been a little wary of strangers.”  
“It’s all right, we understand.” She pointed toward herself and then her companion as she gave both their names. “Don’t suppose there’s somewhere we can talk?”  
Little John, Alan, and Will exchanged glances before the former nodded. “Aye, we have a camp not far from here. Best you come and meet the lads.”

The Merry Men’s encampment was a hidden network of tents, lookout towers, and bridges that housed a brotherhood of twenty undercover royal knights. Scattered about the camp were lanterns, bed rolls, clotheslines, and cooking utensils around a central bonfire. In the event they were discovered, a carefully dug maze of trenches led to shallow pits with hidden trap doors, large enough for two men to take temporary shelter.   
“Gather round men, we got company!” Will hollered as he sat down near the bonfire, his announcement effectively startling his compatriots into action.  
Snow and David watched the Merry Men scramble about and trip over their own feet as they emerged from the shadows, eager to greet their guests.   
“What are you shouting about now, Scarlet?” A scrawny teenager named Much said as he vaulted over a fallen log. “Herding squirrels again?”  
Will scowled playfully as he threw an empty waterskin at his friend. “Oi! That was one time!”  
Little John cleared his throat to remind the present company of the two newcomers. “Save it for later, you miscreants!” He gestured toward the pair sitting on tree stumps. “Princess Snow of Lunaria and Prince David of Nyx are here on behalf of the crown. For them to make the journey at this time of night, it must be important.”   
“Lunaria?” Friar Tuck blurted, eyes widening, “Isn’t that where Robin went?”   
Little John nodded. “Yes, Queen Regina is Snow’s stepmother.” The reveal sent hushed murmurs through the congregation, each knight worried for their reputable leader.   
“And it is because of my stepmother that we’re having this discussion.” Snow spoke, aware that all eyes were on her. “She has not honored her agreement with your king!”  
“We believe that Robin is being held against his will,” David clarified, “and are planning a rescue operation.”   
“Say no more, mate.” Alan said as he chugged the remained of his ale. “If Robin’s in trouble, we’ll do everything we can to help!”   
The Merry Men all eagerly voiced their assent, talking over each other in their enthusiasm.   
Before everyone retired to their tents, Alan and a few other Merry Men took that day’s kill to the far edge of camp to begin the butchering process. Their spoils, a large buck, was hung from a sturdy tree branch by its hind legs for skinning and quartering. Once gutted, they left the deer suspended a few feet off the ground in order to exsanguinate it, a procedure which usually took several hours.   
Unfortunately for them, their abandoned and bloody animal carcass drew the attention of every predator within a two-mile radius. At three hours past midnight, a pack of six grey wolves emerged from the brush and encircled their target with a low growl, intent on devouring raw meat. After a thorough sniff, the alpha retreated with a disappointed whine. The prey wasn’t fresh, and therefore it was no longer desirable.   
The rest of the pack followed their leader as she stepped into the moonlight. The sound of dislocating bones filled the air, as fur receded and claws retracted into skin as she took the appearance of a tall and imposing brunette exhibiting hazel eyes and untamed curls.  
“Cursed humans!” The blonde teenager beside her snarled as she referred to the slaughtered animal, “Ruining a perfectly good piece of meat!”   
“Quiet Sylvia!” Anita hissed, “Do you want to wake the whole camp?”  
Her fellow pack mates joined the conversation by siding with their matriarch.   
“Yeah, Anita’s right.” An ebony-haired girl named Diana added. “What if they have silver weapons?”  
The remaining female werewolf, Anita’s own daughter, was quick to dismiss the concern. “No human hunts game with silver-tipped arrows, Di. They’re too expensive.”  
“And how would you know, Ruby?” Caleb, the youngest of the group challenged, “Are you an expert or something?”  
“That’s enough!” Anita snapped as she reestablished order. “I will not have the lot of you squabble like children over a failed hunt!”  
Remus opened his mouth to protest but was silenced by her menacing glare.   
“That’s better.” The alpha commented as the juvenile werewolves calmed down. “Now, you all know the rules. We’ve lingered here too long.”   
Already bored of the conversation, Ruby rolled her eyes. “It’s been ten minutes, Mama. Relax. No one’s heard us.”   
Before Anita could scold her daughter for her naiveté, an arrow lodged itself into the dirt at her feet.   
“I wouldn’t count on that, milady!” The owner of the flying projectile remarked as he prepared to launch another. “We’re always on alert!”  
“Watch your aim!” Anita growled as her attacker approached, “I don’t take too kindly to being shot!” The alpha crouched defensively when she noticed the presence of more human men, which led her pack to do the same.  
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have trespassed, wolf!” The tall, broad chested leader exclaimed as he gestured to his friends. “Sherwood is our domain!”   
More intrigued than afraid, Ruby softened her hostile expression in order to communicate she wasn’t a threat. “How do you know that?”  
“You’re not the first pack of werewolves to come around these parts.” The giant responded as he slightly lowered his bow. “And even if you were, I’ve never seen a woman built quite like that.” He continued, referring to their unusually muscular figures.   
“By the gods John, shut your gob! Who bloody cares?” The man to his immediate right spat as he took aim. “They want to kill us, and you’re shooting the breeze with them?”  
Anita scowled at the accusation. “Kill you?” She looked both exasperated and disgusted at the thought. “Don’t be daft, it was your freshly hunted deer we were after.”  
“Yeah, we only feed on humans every two weeks!” Caleb blurted, his poor attempt at a joke falling on deaf ears.   
“Will all of you shut it?” A woman’s voice shouted. “Alan, lower your weapon before you take someone’s eye out! This is getting us nowhere!”  
The only human not dressed in hunter’s garb stepped forward and addressed their leader. “Snow’s right, John. Let’s be civil and politely ask where they came from. They don’t seem to want to hurt us.”  
The burly man considered this for a moment while he glared at Anita for good measure. “Fine, David. Have it your way.” John said as he motioned for the wolves to follow him back to camp. “But if we get eaten, it’s your fault!”

Snow could tell that the wolves were not particularly thrilled with the idea of socializing with humans, and vice versa. The air around the campfire was thick with tension, which caused the princess to doubt David’s decision to host this gathering. However, she was surprised when the pack leader’s daughter asked for her company.   
“I understand if you’re uncomfortable with that.” The brunette added when Snow didn’t respond immediately. “Relations haven’t traditionally been great between our two species, but I promise I won’t bite!”  
“Thanks for the assurance!” Snow chuckled as she gestured for Ruby to sit beside her on the log. “I might not have agreed without it.”  
The pair shared a laugh, an interaction that made Anita Lucas glare at her daughter disapprovingly.   
“Sorry about my mom,” the brunette said to her new acquaintance, “she’s always been wary of humans.”  
“And you’re not?” Snow replied, curious to see if Ruby was unique in that regard.   
“No. At least, not in this case.” The wolf remarked as she rubbed her hands together over the flames. “You’re different from the others. You don’t judge as they do.”   
Snow was touched by Ruby’s confession. “That was kind of you to say.”   
“I’m just observant. Have to be when you live on the run, you know?”   
The princess nodded and laughed wholeheartedly, understanding all too well what Ruby meant. “Believe me, I do.”   
Before they could bond further, Little John stood up and called for silence. When all eyes were on him, he continued:  
“Now that everyone’s acquainted, we should address the matter at hand.” He met the alpha’s gaze, which was an indication that it was her turn to speak. “Whenever you’re ready, milady.”  
Anita confidently stepped forward and scoffed at the looks of doubt or suspicion in the eyes of her audience.   
“It’s not as if we wanted to come to this decrepit forest in the first place.” She sneered with an air of arrogance. “There was an incident that forced us to leave ours.”  
David raised an eyebrow as hushed conversation broke out among the Merry Men. “What kind of incident?” He watched Anita and her pack grimace at the recollection of what was clearly a painful memory.  
“A massacre.” She spat, her eyes burning with anger. “Three years ago, we were ambushed by a coven of rogue vampires and lost two dozen of our best warriors, including my husband.” The alpha reflexively curled her hands into a fist, full of renewed desire to punish those responsible for her loss.  
“Mom thought that Lord Dracula sent them to eliminate us, and was out for revenge.” Ruby added when she noticed that Anita was too overcome with emotion to continue.  
“We traveled from our home in Ombria to Lunaria, hoping to hunt Dracula and his coven down. Unfortunately, we never got that far: our elven queen Fiona ordered us to migrate here, telling us that Dracula had already been alerted of our presence in the area.”  
Upon the mention of her kingdom, Snow started to put the pieces together. “This lord, would you say he’s the king of the vampires?”  
Ruby simply nodded while her pack mates growled, their fierce hatred of the creatures on display. “Which is why a few of us were left behind to monitor vampire activity in the area. Mom wanted to have the upper hand in case there was another ambush.”  
“I don’t blame her!” Snow exclaimed, bewildering the werewolves present. “Vampires are devious monsters, take it from personal experience.”   
Now curious, Anita shifted her focus to the brunette princess. “Personal experience?”  
Both the Merry Men and the werewolves grew silent in anticipation of a story only David knew. He nervously glanced over at Snow when he thought she was going to reveal the truth, but to his relief she kept it vague.  
“When I was younger, there was a woman that managed to infiltrate the castle and feed off of members of the royal guard. Once my father figured out what was happening, he tried to stop it, but…” She trailed off, unable to complete the sentence. Leopold’s death was still a sensitive subject all these years later.   
“He was killed.” Ruby finished, full of sympathy for her newfound friend. The other wolves gave the princess similar looks.   
“Yes, and the vampire behind my father’s murder was never caught. I’ve hated the whole species ever since.” When Snow concluded her speech, her eyes met Anita’s, and a sense of mutual understanding formed between them.  
Little John was about to offer his condolences when he spotted a lone figure running toward them in the distance. “Attention!”   
The Merry Men grabbed the closest weapon and braced for a fight, but Anita held up her hand in protest.   
“Wait! He’s one of mine!” The alpha shouted, effectively easing the tension. “Lucas!”  
Within seconds a shaggy-haired teenager appeared and collapsed by the fire. “No need to shout.” He panted. “My ears are ringing!”  
As Lucas was eagerly greeted by his pack mates, Anita bombarded him with questions. “Why are you here? Did something happen? Was it Dracula?”   
The others surmised that Lucas was one of the sentinels from Lunaria, and apprehensively held their breath.   
“Not Dracula, but just as bad. Nathan and I were scouting near that spooky manor the humans call Ravenswood, and saw movement in the north tower. We went to go investigate, like you taught us, and realized that a vampire was living there!” Lucas exclaimed, still somewhat out of breath. “And even worse, Fiona was with him!”  
The wolf pack gasped in unison while Anita growled, hurling a nearby rock into the fire. “That traitorous bitch!” Her chest heaved with anger as her thoughts became murderous. “You’re certain it was her?”  
“Absolutely. That lavender skin is a dead giveaway.”   
“Then she’s not going to help us. We’ll have to do it ourselves.” The alpha immediately started to plot her assault, not expecting assistance from the princess or the Merry Men.   
“No, you won’t!” Snow said, surprising her. “That vampire I was talking about? We’re heading to Lunaria within the next few days to rescue their leader from her clutches.” The blunder triggered a wave of outrage among the Merry Men, who were more determined than ever to bring Robin back home.  
Anita paused, wondering what the princess was hinting at. “Well, that sounds fun, but we have our own agenda.” She motioned for her pack to get up off the ground. “Thank you for the company, however.”  
“Come with us, and we can defeat them together!” Snow proposed, her intentions now clear.   
Anita considered her options, and decided that it would benefit her pack if they joined forces. The humans had strength in numbers, and the support of two large kingdoms. Meanwhile, the Merry Men came to similar conclusions, wanting to take advantage of the heightened abilities of their guests. For all parties involved, it seemed like a win-win scenario.   
“You’re quite convincing, for a human.” Anita responded with a smirk. “I’ll bite, if no one has any objections?” She scanned the group of faces, wolf and human alike, and was pleased when everyone shook their heads.  
“It appears, princess, that we have a deal.”


	8. The Forbidden Fortress

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle, 1561  
As day turned to night, the inhabitants of the castle slept peacefully, perfectly ignorant of the fact that their queen did not. She would wait until the moon reached its zenith in the dark sky, illuminating all the stars, before emerging from her chambers with an ornate wooden box. Predictably, the massive stone fortress was eerily silent, save for the light tapping of expensive stilettos on patterned limestone.   
Regina glided through the corridors in a flurry of red and black silk, the halter neckline of her dress accented by a large ruby and gold choker that matched a belt around her waistline.   
To compliment her dark eyes and blood red lips, the queen’s hair was styled into a high set braided crown half bun, the rest framing her face in long raven waves. Within a few minutes, her shadowy figure passed through gilded chapel gates and descended down a dusty spiral staircase into the labyrinth of crypts below.   
King William was the first monarch to be buried underneath St. George’s Chapel in the newly consecrated Blanchard family tomb. Over the past 300 years, numerous kings and queens were laid to rest within its confines, their marble coffins spread out over multiple dimly lit rooms. Because she married into the house of Blanchard, Regina was one of three people allowed access to the crypts- the other two being the archbishop and Princess Snow.   
The queen conjured a fireball in lieu of a torch and navigated to the back of the tomb, walking by her husband’s sarcophagus with an air of indifference. Once in position, Regina drew her own blood with a dagger she kept hidden in the tomb and watched a door carve itself into stone: the door to her vault.  
Needing a well hidden sanctuary to store the artifacts of her illicit activities, Regina took a previously unoccupied section of the tomb and made it her personal vault, which she protected with blood magic. The interior décor reflected the queen’s classic taste, most notably the enchanted silver filigree mirror hung on the back wall. Her grimoire stood propped on a pedestal, while other magical tomes laid scattered across various trunks. She even had a small alchemist workstation to craft all kinds of potions, curses, and cures, but the main feature was the wall of built in shelves housing rows and rows of wooden boxes- similar to the one in her hand.   
The vampire witch paused in front of this wall to search for an available slot, eventually finding one next to the box she affectionately labeled “Robert Locksley”.   
“I’m sorry Daddy, but it had to be done.” She lamented, sliding the box containing her father’s beating heart into place. “You betrayed me.”   
A lone, venomous tear slid down Regina’s cheek as she remembered the circumstances that drove her to commit such a heinous act against her own father. Unfortunately, she chose to be vulnerable at the wrong time, as a cloud of mauve smoke materialized in the corner.   
“Feeling remorseful, are we?” Her mentor taunted, immediately picking up on Regina’s emotional state. “How ridiculous! He got what he deserved!”   
“Did he?” The queen hissed as she turned away from the shelf. “My father, while not the most courageous man, tried his best to shield me from Cora’s abuse. Not only that, he went out of his way to keep my secret safe. Look what he got for his efforts!” She was trembling from the weight of her guilt.   
“He helped Snow escape!” The Dark One shouted as he tried to make his student see reason. “If it were up to me, I would have killed him for his insolence!”   
Regina growled, flying into a rage at his comments. “And I should have killed you for lying to me about Robin!”  
“So you finally figured it out. I was beginning to worry that you had lost your touch.” Rumplestiltskin casually remarked as he flipped through her research notes. “And yet, I see that you haven’t returned his heart. Care to explain?”  
The queen’s anger quickly dissipated as she winced in an effort to conceal her renewed agony. “If I return his heart, he will undoubtedly kill me.” She weakly retorted, knowing that her justification was a total lie. Rumplestiltskin knew it too.   
“Now if that were true, your voice wouldn’t have cracked.” He answered with a disappointed frown. “You are ashamed of yourself, and you can’t bring yourself to admit it!”   
“Alright, enough!” Regina hissed, wanting nothing more than to tear him to shreds. However, it wasn’t the time or place for that- she knew that he was still stronger than her. “I’m certain that you didn’t make this visit just to mock me. What do you want, Rumple?”  
The Dark One smirked as he reveled in the queen’s disheveled appearance. “I want to know how you found out about Zelena.” He asked, preparing to prey on her vulnerability with a suggestion he knew she she wouldn’t ignore.   
“She was the one that found me.” Regina replied, her suspicions rising. “But you already know that, she told me that she sought you out first.”   
“True, but did she tell you about her time as my apprentice?” He laid the bait in hopes that the queen would bite. “She was, truly, the most powerful sorceress I’ve ever encountered.”  
The raw ferocity that had been prevalent for months in Regina’s dark eyes returned in full force, the vampire monarch suddenly on the defensive. “Tread carefully with your accolades, Rumple. I am your queen!”  
“That may be so,” He agreed, “but don’t take it for granted. I could easily put your sister on the throne.”  
Regina snarled, her nails digging into the wood of her workstation. “How dare you threaten me!”  
“It wasn’t a threat, just something to keep in mind.” The Dark One commented, pleased that his attempt to goad his student into a paranoid hysteria was successful. “Which reminds me, I believe it’s time for you to finally learn about my creator, the progenitor of our kind.”   
“Go on…” The queen prompted with the impatience of a child, fed up with Rumplestiltskin’s antics.   
“He was a wealthy lord from a country called Transylvania, one of those men that thrived off of war.” The Dark One began, eyes glazed over in recollection. “I was never told the details, but somehow he and his men ended up at the Forbidden Fortress.”  
Regina raised an eyebrow, incredulous. “The Black Fairy’s castle? I can’t imagine that went over well.”  
“It didn’t. Maleficent caught them trying to steal her gold, and cursed the Transylvanian lord with vampirism. He lives there now, going by the name of Dracula.”  
“Why tell me this?” Regina’s inquiry was laced with skepticism, assuming that her mentor wasn’t divulging this information out of charity. “Why tell me about an event that happened three hundred years ago?”  
“Because Dracula has abilities that even I do not possess.” He stated as he watched comprehension take root inside the queen’s mind. “He can make you more powerful than your sister.”  
“I admit it is tempting…” She drawled, still processing the information. “…but I don’t want to estrange Zelena, she and I are becoming close.”   
Rumplestiltskin groaned, the urge to smack her overwhelming. “Then take her with you, I don’t give a damn!” He stopped mid-rant and realized that it wasn’t that terrible of an idea. “In fact, I recommend that you do. If you defeat your sister in combat on equal ground, then you undoubtedly prove that you are the stronger witch.”  
“Then it’s decided.” Regina declared, moving to pack essentials for the trip. “I will do as you suggest, and the three of us will leave within the week.”  
“Three of us?” Rumplestiltskin asked, baffled. “I never said I would agree to escort you.”  
The queen scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t referring to you.” She brushed past her disgruntled mentor in order to collect the last few necessary potions. “I plan to have both Zelena and Robin in my entourage.”  
The Dark One frowned at the mention of her soul mate. “How sentimental of you.” He was adamant in voicing his utter condemnation of her relationship with the prince.  
“I’m glad you think so.” She countered, wholly undeterred. “But I’m not indulging in Locksley’s presence for selfish reasons. He is the best marksman I have.”   
Rumplestiltskin hummed, entertaining the queen’s logic. “Well then, in that case, you won’t mind if I linger about the castle in your absence? Purely for bureaucratic reasons, of course.” He left unsaid that he planned to covertly take the kingdom for his own, making her the sovereign in name only.   
“I suppose not.” Regina responded, unable to see the harm in his request. “Someone has to keep the peasants in line.” Upon finishing up, she ushered her guest out of the vault and resealed it with a wave of her hand.   
“Indeed.” The Dark One remarked as he followed the queen out of the tomb, cataloging its contents. He had a feeling that something of great value was hidden in the macabre depths. 

One Week Later

With Regina gone, Rumplestiltskin seized the opportunity to break into the royal crypt, utilizing his mother’s illusion charm to evade the archbishop. Joined by the aforementioned witch and her elven confidant, the Dark One journeyed deep into the underground tomb in search of a powerful magical weapon- one that he suspected lay buried with one of the Blanchard kings.   
“Remind me again why we’re spending a perfectly good Saturday in a stifling, dusty old crypt?” Fiona complained, observing her surroundings with distaste. “I’m going to ruin my dress!”  
Morgana chuckled as she sidestepped a fallen block of stone. “My dear, you should have known better than to wear such impractical clothing.” She lightly chided, eyeing the queen’s regal outfit. “Really, who wears a floor length gown to go raid a tomb?”  
“Says the woman in stilettos.” Fiona shot back, struggling to keep up with the group. “You never told me you enjoyed this sort of thing!”  
“But of course,” The legendary sorceress replied, two steps behind her son. “You wouldn’t believe the treasures I found in the Pendragon vault.”  
Rumplestiltskin ignored their utterly annoying chatter and continued to move through the massive crypt, searching for a particular sarcophagus. It was harder than he anticipated, as the engravings appeared to have worn off with time.   
“Mordred, what are we looking for?” Morgana asked upon noticing that they had passed numerous marble effigies of kings past. “It’s obvious that we’re not simply looting the entire tomb.”  
The Dark One elected not to argue about his name, for the time being, and stopped at a distinctly decrepit sarcophagus. “There was a dagger gifted to King Albert Blanchard II by his wife, Adelaide. The queen bought it off of a traveling merchant, and had no idea it was enchanted, but it quickly became his favorite weapon when his enemies surrendered on sight. It made him unstoppable on the battlefield.”  
Fiona studied the worn carvings on the lid with mild interest. “Sounds like a type of imperious charm. Not many enchantments are capable of that.”  
Rumplestiltskin agreed, using his magic to remove the heavy covering. “Correct, which is why I sought out its location.”   
Once uncovered, the trio peered down into the coffin, where the skeleton of King Albert lay undisturbed for the last five hundred years. Nearly shrieking with delight, Rumplestiltskin carefully slid the jewel-encrusted dagger from bony hands.   
With a light grip, the Dark One swung the blade around as he admired it, appreciating the way light reflected off of curved steel. The resulting manic glint in his eye didn’t escape either sorceress, but only Morgana chose to comment on it.   
“Planning on starting a collection, son?” The brunette teased, gently prying the weapon from his grasp to examine it.   
Grinning mischievously, Rumplestiltskin shook his head. “Of course not, dearie!” He giggled, fangs on display. “I’m going to use it to gain control of the kingdom!”

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Forbidden Fortress, 1561  
Three hundred years after the seer’s prophecy, the Lord of the Vampires entered one of the darkest periods of his eternal life. After decades of research, and multiple failed attempts, Dracula and his first wife Mina finally conceived a child. In what he hoped would be a historic moment for their species, the count eagerly anticipated his son’s birth, only to have his dreams violently shattered in a horrific scene of blood and death.   
“Damn you Maleficent!” He roared as the fragile infant in his arms took his last breath. “You’re going to die for this!”  
Devastated that his ambition cost him the lives of both mother and child, Dracula gently tucked the small body of their son into Mina’s lifeless arms and draped his cloak over their remains. Consumed with rage, the ancient vampire stormed through the castle hell bent on destroying the horned sorceress.   
Outside, a colony of bats swarmed the ominous fortress and shrouded the keep in a veil of darkness. Despite the blizzard, they flew through the castle gates and traded their leathery wings for human arms, cringing as bones cracked into place.   
“That went about as well as expected!” One newborn scout hissed as he massaged his bruised shoulder. “Last time I fight a dragon!”   
“Cursed beasts.” Another muttered, clawing a scale fragment out of an open wound. “All that effort for the wrong target!”   
Irritated by the low morale, their leader limped ahead of her dissatisfied brethren indifferent to her torn clothes and extensive injuries. “Maleficent was never our target for this mission.” Ingrid panted, healing the laceration on her thigh. “The goal was to lure her out of hiding by slaying her kin.”  
“You could’ve mentioned that before I got torn limb from limb!” The one with the bruised shoulder hissed, suddenly focused on a figure in the distance. “Someone’s coming!”  
Dracula’s ice queen gingerly lifted her head, her neck stiff from battle. “Shit!” She muttered upon witnessing his aggressive body language. “Everyone on your best behavior!”  
They scrambled to stand at attention as their master regarded them with an air of impatience. “Well?” He barked, showing little to no immediate concern for his wife’s wellbeing, “Did you find her?”  
Slightly furious with her husband’s behavior, without knowing the cause, Ingrid snapped back: “Sorry to disappoint you, but no.” She gestured to her own battered appearance. “Regrettably, we only managed to kill a Northern Silverback.” Her blue eyes bore into his, and it was then that Dracula was aware of his asinine behavior.   
“Apologies, my love.” He reached for her hand in an effort to make amends. “But while you were gone, Mina went into labor and…” The rest was left unsaid, but Ingrid knew the dangers of childbirth.   
“No!” She gasped, horrified. “He didn’t survive?” The mood in the great hall quickly fell somber, Dracula’s army promptly offering their sincere condolences.   
The vampire lord shook his head, calming himself by caressing his wife’s face. “Neither of them did.”  
“I can’t believe this!” Ingrid wailed as her knees buckled. “What in the hell happened?”  
Dracula reached out to steady her injured body just before she hit the floor. “We knew the risks, Ingrid.” He reasoned in an effort to keep himself sane. “But this curse”-   
“Maleficent’s curse!” She interrupted, breathing heavily.   
“…Maleficent’s curse comes with a high price.” He finished as he glanced at his wounded army, once again reminded of the hell he was putting them through.   
The ice queen was silent for a long time, mourning the loss of her friend, when she remembered the seer’s words from long ago. “This wouldn’t have happened if we waited for the prophecy!” She stated, her delivery bitter from grief.   
“What?” Dracula hissed. “You’re bringing this up now?” He waved to dismiss the audience, leaving the two of them alone in the vast chamber.   
“Yes!” Ingrid shouted. “Because it’s true!” She elaborated, her chest heaving. “The seer proclaimed that only Queen Regina will be able to bear your children, and I told you that a hundred times, but you didn’t want to wait!”   
Dracula growled, his temper rising. “I did wait! I waited three-hundred years for her!” He yelled as the temperature began to drop, a sign that his wife was losing control of her magic. “Long enough, in my opinion!”  
Ingrid snarled and released a blast of ice from her palms as she lost her usual composure. “She loved you!” Another shard of ice missed its intended target and impaled itself into one of the support columns. “I loved you!”  
As her anger toward him was completely justified, Dracula withstood her assault until she exhausted herself, collapsing on the ground with a pained groan.   
“Sometimes I despise you.” She breathed, looking up at his stoic demeanor. “You stole me from my family. As hard as I’ve tried, I’ve never been able to forgive you for that.”   
Dracula was about to reply when one of the servants came running from the east corridor. “Master! Word from the guards!” She exclaimed, panicked. “There’s a strange carriage requesting passage up the mountain!”  
Suddenly, the previous dispute was forgotten, as Dracula and Ingrid both looked at each other in bewilderment.   
“A visitor?” The vampire remarked, receiving a nod from the messenger. “And this person desires an audience with me?” She nodded again.   
“Yes sir, she was…like you.”   
Ingrid grew concerned when Dracula’s eyes lit up upon receiving the information, his mind reeling with the possibilities. “Then by all means, let’s not keep her waiting!”

After eight days of travel, the queen of Lunaria arrived at the Forbidden Fortress with her two most trusted confidants, both of whom she intentionally kept in the dark about their travels. She didn’t have a plan of attack quite yet, and that was due to having very little to go off of. Rumplestiltskin told her almost nothing of this mysterious vampire lord, which frustrated her to no end: Regina preferred to have the upper hand at all times.   
“Sister,” Zelena quipped as Regina stepped out of the carriage, “Are you finally going to reveal our destination? While I’m not necessarily complaining, poor Robin looks like he’s going to die of frostbite.”   
The youngest of the Mills sisters turned to watch her huntsman clumsily disembark the coach, clutching his fur cloak tightly around his shoulders.   
“He’ll live.” Regina remarked as she headed toward the main gate. “Frostbite is the least of his problems.”  
Zelena, draped in an emerald traveling cloak, hurried after her sister’s rapidly retreating figure. “Regina! Where are we?” The redhead asked again, on the edge of frustration.   
“To put it simply, a vampire den.” The brunette stated, ignoring her sister’s indignant cry. “The one that bit Rumplestiltskin is inside.”   
“And you conveniently forgot to tell me?” Zelena shrieked as they waited to be escorted inside, “You better have an excellent reason for this!”   
Robin, having caught up with the two women, sided with the elder witch. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Zelena’s right.” He said, glaring at his soul mate. “What in the bloody hell is wrong with you? Did it slip your mind that I’m human, and may not exactly want to walk into a castle full of bloodthirsty vampires?”   
The queen simply shrugged, wholly unbothered by their combined outrage. “It must have.” She deadpanned, “How careless of me.”  
With that, the doors opened and Regina strode inside, leaving the two of them speechless in her wake. 

They weren’t the only ones that the queen had left breathless: Dracula was instantly stunned from the moment he laid eyes on her. For this visit, Regina elected to wear a skin tight black leather dress with a neckline that plunged all the way to her navel. As well as flaunting her usual dark makeup, her hair was drawn up into a high ponytail and held into place with a jeweled headpiece. It was an aesthetic that she used to reduce men to bumbling idiots, and it was undoubtedly working its magic on the vampire in front of her.   
“Enchanté, my lady!” He exclaimed as he leaned forward in his throne to get a closer look. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your exquisite company?”  
Appalled by her husband’s behavior, Ingrid reached across the arm of her throne and slapped him. “Mina died not two hours ago and you’re lusting after this harlot?” The ice queen hissed, keeping her voice low as the group approached.   
“It’s her, Ingrid. I can sense it!” Dracula drawled, his gaze locked onto the alluring brunette walking toward him.   
“My mentor, Rumplestiltskin, informed me that you have certain…abilities that he does not.” Regina began, bowing customarily. “I am here to ask that you share your knowledge with me.”  
Horrified at the implication, Robin refused to stay silent. “Regina, no!” His mention of her name immediately confirmed the vampire lord’s suspicions, the man’s eyes alight with glee. “Please don’t do this! Don’t continue down this dark path!”  
The queen was about to reprimand her prince when Dracula beat her to it. “Silence, human!” He snapped, pointedly displaying his fangs. “Speak out of turn again and I will feed you to my army!”  
“He’s mine!” Regina growled, fearlessly baring her own fangs. “No one lays a hand on him!” Robin visibly exhaled, relieved that Regina still cared about him enough to protect him from creatures he was sure lurked in the shadows.   
To everyone’s surprise, Dracula conceded to her implied threat as he dropped his aggressive demeanor. “As you wish, Your Majesty. I will not harm your pet.”   
“That’s awfully presumptuous of you, addressing me in that manner.” Regina said as she eyed him suspiciously, taking a few steps closer to the throne.   
“My dear, I am hundreds of years old.” Dracula chuckled. “There’s not much that fails to reach this castle.”   
Quickly becoming bored with the topic of conversation, Zelena interjected: “Enough with the chatter and get on with it! Robin will be an old man by the time you two finish!” The redhead quipped, rolling her eyes at the pair.  
“As you wish, empress.” The elder vampire remarked, clasping his hands together. “I will honor Her Majesty’s desires if she accepts my terms.” He glanced at his blonde wife for approval, which she gave with a slight nod.   
“Your terms?” Regina asked, incredulous.   
He smirked, making Robin incredibly uneasy. “Marry me.” The vampire stated, “Become my wife for all eternity.”   
“I’m sorry?” The brunette was stunned, as was her entourage. “Your what?” After her disastrous first marriage, she had no intention of a repeat performance.   
Ingrid stepped in before her husband lost his composure. “You’ll have to forgive him; we were told of a prophecy many years ago that centered around your arrival.”   
“And I aim to fulfill it.” Dracula spat, not used to rejection. “You will be compensated, of course. In return for your hand, I will pledge my armies to your cause: no less than a few hundred vampire soldiers.”   
Robin looked like he was about to vomit. “Don’t trust him, Regina. He needs you more than you need him.”  
“I agree, Locksley.” The queen acquiesced, staring right into Dracula’s blue eyes. “And he’s going to tell me why.”  
The aforementioned lord of the Forbidden Fortress growled in frustration and slammed his hands down harshly on the arm of the throne. “For the only reason a man gets married: to sire children! Her Majesty is the only woman that can provide them to me!”  
Zelena scoffed at his weak logic, and went as far as to point it out to him. “I wasn’t aware that our kind could become senile. She’s just as barren as the rest of us!” The empress wasn’t finished, backing up her statement with personal experience: “My fiancé, a god, hasn’t been able to manage it!”   
“As…enlightening as that information was, it’s irrelevant.” Dracula remarked, “The seer promised me children, and I will not waver from that belief.”   
Regina was about to tell him exactly where he could shove that belief when Robin resorted to drastic measures to save the woman he loved. “Pardon the interruption, but I’m afraid that Regina is not available to wed.”   
“And why is that, mortal?” Dracula snarled, near the end of his tolerance for the queen’s toy.   
Taking a deep breath, Robin looked back at the monarch in question and continued, “Because she is betrothed to me, crown prince of Polaris.”   
Due to the fact that as of recently Robin was more her slave than her significant other, Regina was stunned by his blatant lie. “Robin!” She hissed, using his name for the first time in weeks. “Have you gone mad?”  
“Not at all, milady.” He boasted, regaining some of his confidence. “In fact, I humbly request that you take my hand in marriage instead of his. I may not have my heart, but I know it beats for you.”  
Regina choked back a sob at the sincerity of her soul mate. In her mind, there was no way she deserved such affection after her cruelty, but he apparently wanted to marry her regardless. She didn’t try to respond, as she knew that her tears were confirmation enough.   
Dracula appeared less than pleased with the development, simmering with rage, but Ingrid was moved by the prince’s confession. “Well then, in light of that heartfelt declaration, I propose that my husband’s offer be null and void.” The ice witch stated, surprising everyone in the room.   
“Ingrid!” The vampire lord snapped, furious that his wife would oppose him. “This was not the plan!”  
“Perhaps not, but it is clear that this man loves her more than you ever will.” She gave her husband a stern look. “And we will not interfere with that. However, that does not mean that she will return to her castle empty handed.”  
When no one spoke, the royal continued, “As you know, husband, Snow White allied herself with Anita Lucas and her pack. The least we can do for a fellow vampire monarch is to send our army.”   
Regina rightfully assumed that Anita Lucas was a werewolf, and the thought of her stepdaughter building an army with such creatures made her blood boil.   
“I may be able to add to that.” Zelena interjected, Ingrid’s words triggering her memory. “Just before I left Oz to accompany my sister here, Glinda Fontaine informed me that our coven of witches in Oz is now sizable enough to pose a significant threat.”   
Regina turned toward her sister, intrigued, as she began toying with the possibility of war. “How many?”  
The redhead answered with thirteen, and the monarch immediately looked to Ingrid. “I accept your offer. If my stepdaughter allied herself with werewolves, it is in both our interests to crush the rebellion.”   
Now that the conversation had shifted to war, Dracula found himself to be less concerned with pursuing Regina. “Her Majesty is correct. Werewolves must be put down like the dogs they are!” He sat deep in thought, mulling everything over, and then inclined his head toward his wife.   
“You will assist them in battle.” The vampire lord ordered. “Your talents as a sorceress are wasted here.” Ingrid wasn’t going to argue with that, for she knew she was the only properly trained ice mage in the Enchanted Forest.   
As plans were finalized, Regina dared herself to dream of her stepdaughter’s demise- her greatest wish more feasible than it had been in years. With renewed determination, she vowed:  
“I will destroy Snow White, if it’s the last thing I do!”


	9. Winter's Rebellion

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Equinox Palace, 1561  
With Phobos Castle off limits, Snow’s only other option was to journey to the northeastern tip of her kingdom near the Coronan border, somewhere that she knew Regina would never bother to look. For reasons that Snow could only guess, her stepmother avoided their summer residence like the plague. Perched atop a seaside cliff, Equinox Palace was the official royal home from May to August, and a personal favorite of the exiled princess. It was a wonder Regina hadn’t demolished it out of spite.   
Once everyone had settled in, Snow and Charming called for a meeting in the council chamber to develop a strategy for the upcoming weeks. One by one, the diverse assembly of wolves, Merry Men, royals, and a fairy gathered around the central table in anticipation of a heated discussion. They weren’t disappointed.   
Twenty minutes of indecision later, Charming lost his patience. “I say we fight!” The prince yelled as he slammed his fist down on top of elegantly carved wood.   
“I’m not opposed to getting my hands dirty.” Will Scarlet voiced, “However, we’re massively outnumbered without your father’s army.” His statement drew frustrated groans from around the room.   
The prince, being the loudest of them all, sat back down next to Snow. “I’m well aware of that, but knowing my father he will have already pledged his support to Regina.”   
“So we find another way.” The princess replied as she reached for David’s hand. “As long as my stepmother remains on the throne, countless people will die!”   
Anita held her tongue for most of the meeting, but as tensions rose she could no longer hold back. “Then what do you suggest, princess?” The wolf snapped, irritated by the ignorance of her associates. “We’re dealing with a vampire that currently occupies the throne of the second largest kingdom in the Enchanted Forest. If we’re going to defeat her, it won’t be with pointy sticks.”   
“In other words, you want to go after her yourself.” David surmised. “The seven of you versus who knows how many of them.”   
The alpha continued to stare down the prince in an effort to make him see reason. “It’s your best option. If you storm the castle with the Merry Men, it will be a massacre. My kind has been hunting vampires for centuries, which is why I am confident when I say that I can tear that bitch’s throat out!”   
It wasn’t until Anita made her point that everyone realized the gravity of their situation. She was right: if a human army went up against a vampire one in battle, it was no contest. But if they hid themselves away in the castle, they were sitting ducks.   
“Fine, you and your pack can call the shots, but you still need backup.” Little John declared, moving the archer figurine across the drawn out map. “My men can take care of the castle perimeter and all other ranged fighting, while David and the rest of the Sherwood army can handle her knights. Then, while you take down Regina, Will and I can sneak inside and rescue Robin.”   
It wasn’t the best plan, but it was better than anything they had so far. “Any objections?” Snow directed at the congregation, not expecting there to be. They had been at this for a while, and everyone was starting to tire.   
Then, out of nowhere, Blue jolted to life. “Yes, I object!” The fairy exclaimed, waving her wand about frantically. “Giving in to darkness never accomplishes anything!”  
Charming scoffed, having never been fond of Snow’s tiny friend. “How many wars has a clear conscience won?” He snapped as he glared at the sparkling woman.   
“There’s another solution, one that doesn’t involve mass casualties.” She retorted. “Long ago, when the Dark One first came to power, the fairies and I knew we had to stop him.” The fairy confessed, embarrassed that she was about to admit to her ineptitude.   
“We developed a spell to entrap him and his magic in another realm.” Blue explained, hoping Snow would catch on.   
“You propose that we use this enchantment on Regina.” The princess concluded, intrigued by the idea. “What is it?”  
Blue hesitated, as her suggestion came with a fair amount of complications. “We called it the Curse of the Imprisoned, but failed to realize that it could only be cast by a fairy with dark magic.”   
“Are there any?” Ruby asked, speaking for everyone in the chamber. “I thought fairies were supposed to be good.”  
“Her name is Maleficent, and she’s the exception.” Blue disclosed as she summoned a roll of parchment. “That being said, she is the only one with the ability to cast this.”   
Snow and David apprehensively exchanged glances, a feeling of dread overtaking the royal pair. “David, I can’t condone war knowing that this is an option.” The princess pleaded. “We have to at least try it.”  
Sighing, the prince conceded to Snow’s request. “Alright, where can we find her?” He asked Blue, half wishing that the fairy didn’t know.   
“Dragontooth Summit.” Blue supplied with a fair amount of guilt. They were in no way prepared for a confrontation with the Black Fairy, but it had to be done. “She resides in a cave not far from Shadowfall Village.”   
The Merry Men, who had been silent during this exchange, surprised Snow by volunteering themselves for the job. “Consider it done, Your Highness.” Will Scarlet pledged, prompting similar gestures from his peers. “We will seek out this dark fairy at first light.”   
“You have our gratitude.” Charming replied, humbled by their bravery. “And as many provisions as you need. Snow and I can’t thank you enough.”  
As the meeting drew to a close, the prince rose from his chair and embraced each one of the Merry Men. “May luck guide you on your journey.” He stated, well aware that he was putting the fate of the kingdom in their hands.   
He only hoped that this decision wouldn’t come back to haunt them. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Dragontooth Summit, 1561  
For all her infinite wisdom, Maleficent failed to consider what the consequences of her actions would be in regards to the Transylvanian count. She knew that word of her experiment would eventually find its way to her pious and judgmental sisters, but didn’t expect their reaction to be as severe as it was. The two irate fairies berated her for hours over her decidedly wrongful actions, and declared that it would be best if she was confined to her dragon form for the foreseeable future. After Blue threatened her with mortality, a punishment well within her power, Maleficent begrudgingly agreed to the terms.  
As the centuries passed, the fallen sorceress’ mental state decayed. Because she was no longer able to communicate as a human, Maleficent fell victim to the animalistic behavior of her chosen species and gradually began compulsively hoarding golden trinkets and jewels. Three hundred years later, the sorceress had amassed a mountain of treasure worth millions of pounds of gold, and guarded it with her life.   
Maleficent received very few visitors, given that the location of her cavernous lair was high atop the summit of the Mystic Mountains, so she was surprised when a small group of humans braved the journey and entered her dragon den. 

They approached, rightfully, with caution. Those that carried torches kept them close, while the rest armed themselves with drawn swords and bows.   
“Anyone home?” David shouted, fearlessly announcing his presence to the cave’s sole inhabitant. He and Snow, after much private debate, had decided to join the Merry Men after all, a decision that currently annoyed Will Scarlet.   
“Yes, solid plan, David!” The scrawny thief remarked as he carelessly swung his torch about in exasperation. “Let’s wake up the huge dragon and let it know exactly where we are, brilliant!”   
Now aware of her unwanted guests, the Black Fairy let loose a low rumbling growl meant to ward off potential attackers, a sound that sent chills down their mortal spines.   
“Bloody hell!” The Merry Man screeched, quickly taking cover behind the ironically large body of Little John. “Let’s just forget this insane idea and go back to Sherwood!”  
“And what about Robin?” The giant admonished as they traversed deeper into the cave, “Are you suggesting that we leave him to the queen’s mercy?”   
“That’s not what I meant John, and you know it!” Will replied, slowly removing himself from his human bodyguard. “I just don’t fancy the idea of being burned alive!” He looked around the dark cave anxiously, waiting for the beast to emerge from the shadows and send them to a fiery grave.   
“No one’s being burned alive.” Princess Snow commented as she took the lead. “Blue said she was relatively rational. She’ll help us.”   
This time, both members of the Merry Men scoffed. “Relatively rational?” Little John repeated, highly skeptical of the sorceress’ description. “That’s reassuring, princess!”  
“Hence our insurance policy.” Snow stated as she removed the Blue Fairy’s wand from her vest. “This should level the playing field a bit.” She gave it a wave, intent on having the glittering particles of fairy dust lead the way to Maleficent.   
However, because the princess knew very little about magic, she was not expecting the wand to free the Black Fairy from her prison. They could only watch as Blue’s adversary resumed her human form and immediately went on the offensive, hurling bolts of lightening from her staff.   
“Who dares to disturb me?” The sorceress roared, not yet in full control of her actions. “Foolish mortals!”  
Recognizing that Maleficent’s behavior was unusual, Snow took a deep breath and stepped out from behind cover. “I do. Princess Snow White, daughter of Leopold IV.” She waited for the enraged fairy’s response, terrified that she had just made a fatal mistake.   
The brunette’s words miraculously released the sorceress from the last lingering effects of her banishment. “Such bravery, for a human.” Maleficent taunted, her mind that of a fairy’s once again.   
Closing in on the young royal, the horned woman was dying to know why this group of humans had sought her out. “Tell me, daughter of Leopold,” She demanded with all her dark authority, “just how may I help you?

“That is quite the predicament.” Maleficent remarked as Snow relayed the many details of her stepmother’s reign of terror. “However, I suppose I am indirectly responsible for it all.” The sorceress confessed, stroking the glass orb atop her staff as she reflected upon her past actions.   
“How so?” David inquired, at a loss for how a dark fairy could have caused Regina to become a tyrant. As far as he knew, the two women were strangers to one another.   
Maleficent chuckled, finding the prince’s question humorous. Her dear sister’s habits clearly had not changed over the years. “Blue never told you why she forced me into hiding?”   
“No, she told us where to find you in hopes that you would cast this curse on Regina.” Snow said as she handed Blue’s scroll over to the dragon sorceress. “Will you?”  
“I might.” Maleficent hummed as she read the written incantation. “Depends on my sister’s true intentions. You see, dear Maeve is not as righteous as she makes herself out to be. She will have her own hidden agenda.”  
Off to the side, Little John loudly sighed in exasperation. “We don’t have time for this.” He muttered, “Regina could have already killed Robin by now!”  
Snow and David winced at the thought, but Maleficent didn’t seem fazed by the Merry Man’s exclamation. “Vampires don’t kill their pets.” She explained as if it should be obvious, drumming her fingers on the glass orb. “If anything, she’s made him her lover. That being the case, I highly doubt he’s as miserable as you think.”   
“I’m beginning to understand why Blue banished you to this cave.” David countered as the fairy’s less than decent morals became apparent.  
Maleficent scoffed. “You humans don’t know the half of it.” She spat. “As I said before, I am indirectly responsible for Her Majesty’s current affliction. I created the curse that makes vampires what they are.” The sorceress let that hang in the air before resuming her explanation. “That’s why my sister forced me into exile.”  
“Then you won’t help us?” Snow asked, thinking that the Black Fairy had a soft spot for her creations. “Before you respond, think of what will inevitably happen when word spreads to the masses. There’ll be an uprising!”  
“Like the one in Oz.” Maleficent murmured, realizing that the situation was much more severe than the princess made it seem.   
Unfortunately for the sorceress, her statement fell on ignorant ears. “Come again?” Will Scarlet mumbled, voicing everyone’s confusion.  
“Long ago, in a realm called Oz, there was a revolution against men and women of the magical persuasion. I wasn’t made aware of it until it was too late: in a matter of hours, countless witches and wizards were rounded up and executed all because of one man’s misguided fear of sorcery.” She clarified, hoping that they would make the connection. “I fear the same will happen here.”  
“Because Regina’s not only a vampire, she’s a witch.” Snow surmised, the future worse than she imagined.   
Maleficent nodded, coming to a conclusion of her own. “Precisely, which is why I cannot let that happen, for the sake of my own interests. Regina’s reign must come to an end.”   
With a resolution reached, Snow and her entourage returned to Equinox Palace in the unexpected company of the Black Fairy herself. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Phobos Castle, 1562  
The news of Queen Regina’s upcoming nuptials came as a surprise to most, if not all, of the tyrannical monarch’s oppressed subjects. Not long after the official announcement was made, the kingdom was awash with salacious gossip about the whole affair, merciless rumors that painted the heavily disliked sovereign as a sinful seductress that wickedly deceived her unlucky fiancé for personal gain. However, this mass outrage was exactly what the aforementioned queen desired: if the masses were consumed with their hatred of her, they would momentarily forget about their love for the exiled princess, temporarily freeing Regina of their misguided favoritism and fierce defiance. In her mind, distracted peasants were loyal peasants.   
Amidst the chaos, the bride-to-be stood statuesque before her audience of seamstresses, uncharacteristically silent as they continued to make adjustments to her extravagant gown. “Just a bit more to the left, Your Majesty.” One of the dressmakers instructed, gently turning the queen so that she could finish aligning patterned lace to the garment’s transparent bodice.   
“And arms outstretched if you would be so kind, Your Grace” Another requested, burdened with the task of adorning the gown with hundreds of precious rubies.   
As the head dressmaker secured the queen’s grand diamond headpiece to her long raven locks, Regina dared to glance at her reflection. The woman in the mirror was stunning, beautiful enough to put every other woman in the realm to shame, but there was an air of melancholy about her. To anyone unfamiliar with the bride’s situation, she merely appeared to be reconsidering the union. For those select few that knew better, like the woman’s twin, it was much more complicated than that.   
“What is it, Your Majesty?” The elderly woman asked, concerned by her client’s continued silence. Believing that the massive accessory atop the queen’s head was at fault, she wondered, “Is the tiara too heavy? I tried telling Cartier it was overdesigned, but that jeweler’s ego is as big as this kingdom.”   
There is no such thing as a lightweight crown Regina thought, forcibly swallowing the retort before she found herself in need of another dressmaker. “No, Beverly. It’s exactly what I asked for.”  
Not convinced, her attendant tried again. “Then shall we continue this another day?” She gently suggested, aware of the monarch’s heated temperament. “Pardon me for saying so, but you don’t look well.”   
Regina was debating between a rude or civil response when a familiar cloud of mauve smoke filled the room, signaling the arrival of her dear mentor at the worst possible time.   
“My my, such insolence.” Rumplestiltskin remarked, materializing in all his dark glory. “What are you going to do about it, Regina?” He continued in an attempt to provoke her.   
Refusing to play his game, the queen snapped irritably, “Nothing!” She not-so-subtly motioned for her attendants to leave, knowing full well what her mentor was capable of. Her wedding was in a few short weeks- she couldn’t afford any setbacks. Not with the knowledge that her stepdaughter was busy plotting her demise.   
“How disappointing.” The Dark One commented with obvious disdain, staring pointedly at her symbolic white gown. “I assume that this union has something to do with your change of behavior?”  
“None of your business!” The brunette vampire hissed with a substantial amount of malice, intent on proving to Rumplestiltskin that she was not weak in any sense of the word. “Now say what you’ve come to say, before I throw you out myself!”   
The monarch’s present company smirked, smug and wholly satisfied that he still held so much power over the queen. “You and I both know that your stepdaughter is building an army.” He stated, watching Regina’s upper lip curl into a scowl.   
“Hers is no match for mine!” She exclaimed, more than confident that her forces would crush the princess’ with ease.   
“But what if things don’t go your way?” He waved his hand, conjuring a small scroll. “I have something that will ensure your victory.”   
Curious, Regina took the scroll from his open palm and glanced at its contents. “A curse?” She knew that the Dark One had quite the library of curses, and so did she, but this was one that she had never heard about or seen before.   
“Not just a curse, Dearie. The Dark Curse. The destroyer of realms.” He watched her brow crease in mild confusion.   
“You’re implying the destruction of the Enchanted Forest and everyone in it, including the two of us.” She replied, concluding that her mentor had finally lost what little sanity he possessed. “How is this useful?”   
Rumplestiltskin paused for dramatic effect, letting the anticipation build, before revealing his plan. “Because it will ruin Snow White’s life.”   
Regina had him repeat it, because she was in a state of disbelief. If the Dark One was telling the truth, she was about to get everything she ever wanted. “I’m listening.”  
Now that he had Regina right where he wanted her, Rumplestiltskin disclosed the full nature of the curse, and its ritualistic requirements.   
“That’s quite the price,” the queen breathed, somewhat horrified, “one that I don’t necessarily want to pay.”   
Rumplestiltskin scoffed, finding her sudden apprehension toward dark magic pathetic. “Excuse my bluntness, but your father is well past his prime.”  
“You’re despicable!” Regina spat. “I may be a monster, but I know my limits.” She stepped down from her platform and forced the scroll back into his possession. “The thought of Snow White utterly miserable in a land without magic is tempting, but not at that cost.”   
The Dark One watched her storm off in silence. There was no need for an argument, because if their history was any indication, she would soon be demanding that he hand over the Dark Curse. 

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Equinox Palace, 1562  
Having spent the better part of a year focused on Regina’s demise, Snow White felt that they were more than prepared to lay siege to her father’s castle. Battle plans had been revised and finalized, armor and weaponry had been forged, and the necessary provisions had been acquired, so the princess felt it was now or never. Gathering her allies, she informed them that they would be leaving for her stepmother’s fortress as soon as the weather cleared up.   
When the day came, a convoy of a hundred Merry Men, thirty werewolves, ten fairies, one dragon sorceress, and a sizeable portion of King Edward’s army followed Snow and David as they traversed the Dark Forest, their wagons heavily loaded with battle axes, broadswords, and lances. As the sun set, the princess and her supporters made camp a few miles away from the castle, electing to spend the rest of the night sharpening weapons and honing their battle skills. Come morning, the Evil Queen would be brought to justice.


	10. Fire and Ice

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria  
Clash of the Royals, 1562  
Blissfully unaware of the nearby threat, a content and slightly bruised Robin of Locksley lay sound asleep in his queen’s bed, warmed only by a thin sheet and a burning fire. As per usual, he had visited Regina’s chambers and successfully sated the both of them, but this time his fiancée had uncharacteristically requested that he stay the night. Despite his battered appearance, the prince was roused from his slumber solely by the bone-chilling winds blowing in through the open balcony doors. With Regina off in search of a midnight snack, and therefore unavailable, Robin got out of bed with a groan and stumbled across the room to the source of the frigid gusts. Just as he reached the balcony, a familiar accented voice tentatively called out to him: “Robin, mate, is that you?”   
Certain that he was mistaken, the prince peered out over the edge of the railing and was shocked to see his noble associates in the process of scaling the tower walls. “Scarlet? What in the hell…”  
Using Robin’s temporary bewilderment to his advantage, the most agile of Sherwood’s knights swung his body over the marble barrier and invited himself in. “We’ll explain later, there’s not much time.”   
“What do you mean there’s not much time?” Robin stuttered as he watched the rest of his friends come into view. “What’s going on?”   
No one answered him immediately as they glanced around the room with expressions that suggested discomfort. “Where is the queen?” Little John asked, his voice barely above a whisper.   
“Regina?” Robin blurted, still trying to put the pieces together. “There was an emergency that needed her attention, matters of state.” He lied, unsure of their motives. “Why do you need to know?”  
At that point, Alan was through with everyone’s politeness and made the executive decision to let the proverbial cat out of the bag. “Because this castle is under siege!” As Robin paled significantly, the Merry Man rambled on, “Or soon will be, in a few hours I suppose.”  
“This is a joke.” Robin concluded, in complete denial. “Please tell me you’re all just joking.” He slowly lowered himself back onto the bed and rubbed his temples tiredly.   
In disbelief over the change in his oldest friend, Will Scarlet scoffed at Robin’s words and went on to tell the Locksley prince their perspective. “When have we ever joked about a heist or mission? Mate, you haven’t been in contact with us in months, of course we had to come rescue you!”  
“Regina is my fiancée!” Robin roared, his anger mounting with every second. “There’s no need to rescue me, we’re perfectly happy together!”   
“Oh yeah?” Little John countered as he drew everyone’s attention to the multiple scratches and bruises on Robin’s bare chest. “Then explain why you look like hell. She’s abusing you, and you’re too blinded by her beauty to see it!”   
The prince gathered all his remaining energy and leapt off the bed, outraged. “How dare you! Regina may get overly physical at times, but she would never intentionally hurt me.”   
The Merry Men swapped concerned glances, some more affected than others. “May the gods bestow us with patience for the task ahead.” Friar Tuck declared, bowing his head in sincerity. “We’re going to need it.”  
“Look,” Scarlet spat in exasperation, “you’re returning to Sherwood with us whether you like it or not. King’s orders.”   
Their leader was anything but cooperative as he crossed his arms in defiance. “I refuse to abandon Regina when our wedding is within a fortnight. My father can threaten me all he wants, but I’m staying in Lunaria until then.”   
Any further disagreement quickly became an afterthought when the tower began to quake unexpectedly, unleashing a series of intense tremors that caused the stained glass windows to rattle, an elegant depiction of Morgana le Fay’s fall from grace.   
“Bloody hell!” Robin cursed as he braced himself against the wall. “I don’t suppose that would be the siege you oh so casually mentioned!”   
The Merry Men grimaced upon the unfortunate realization that they had run out of time. “I’m sorry Your Highness,” Little John lamented, “but I’m afraid you are correct.”   
Immediately panic stricken, the need to confirm Regina’s safety had taken priority over his own. The crown prince was mere seconds away from organizing a search party when the door violently opened and his beloved fiancée burst into the bedchamber.   
“Time to rise and shine, Thief!” The infamous monarch commanded, oblivious at first to the presence of the Merry Men. “The rabble outside is trying my patience!” When she discovered that her wake up call was unnecessary, Regina’s whole body tensed at the sight of strange men in her bedroom.   
Finding the armed intruders too close to Robin for her liking, Regina growled and threw herself in front of him before their weapons could do him harm. “Get away from him, you band of primitive miscreants!”   
Robin of Locksley took note of his fiancée’s aggressive body language, and provocative nightwear, and tried to de-escalate the tension before Regina lunged for someone’s throat. “Milady, they’re not a threat. They’re my men.”   
The queen scowled and tightened her robe in response to the wide-eyed stares coming from the younger, more impressionable knights. “Then they have ten seconds to explain themselves.” Regina spat, in no mood for cordial trivialities. “Starting with the miniature army at my gate.”  
Little John was the first to swallow his fear of the woman and address her directly. “Well, Your Majesty,” He began, counting on Robin’s relationship with the monarch to protect him, “that would be your stepdaughter.” 

Meanwhile, as they laid intertwined with one another, Zelena’s fangs were buried deep in her fiancé’s neck. Addicted to the pure euphoria that only divine blood provided, the redheaded vampire had no qualms about feeding from Hades when she felt the need.   
With her slender body draped across his, Lord Death was pinned to the mattress in such a way that prevented him from ending her meal prematurely. Groaning, Hades nudged her shoulder when he began to feel the weakening effects of significant blood loss. “My love,” He cooed softly, “that’s enough.”  
Zelena pretended not to hear him as she tightened her grip. “Not yet!” She hissed, throwing a hand over his mouth. “I’m almost full.”  
“You’ve already had way too much.” Hades lectured, aware of the consequences she would suffer if she overdosed. “A delicacy shouldn’t be overindulged.”  
Irritated, the Empress of Oz finally withdrew her fangs and scowled at her lover. “Then I suppose I should get dressed, according to your logic.” She rolled off of Hades and reached for her robe, tying it around her waist when she heard an unusual noise. “Hades…” She began, eyes darkening automatically in preparation for a fight, “do you hear that?”   
He had to move closer to the open window to hear anything at all, but eventually he heard the distinct growl of a werewolf. Now he understood why Zelena was suddenly on edge. “Yes, I hear it.” Hades frowned. “Sounds like a pack.”  
His fiancée scowled and waved her hand, properly clothing them both. “But what are they doing in the Dark Forest?” Zelena asked, her confusion mounting by the minute. “Regina’s knights frequently patrol there, and they haven’t reported any sightings. Not recently.”   
“Didn’t you tell me a few weeks ago that Snow White had allied herself with Anita Lucas and her wolves?” Hades mused, considering all the possibilities. “It could be them.”  
As they talked, the growling and howling grew louder, which triggered the redhead into action. “I don’t care who they are!” She snapped, full of adrenaline. “If they think they can waltz into my family’s territory unannounced, they’re dead wrong!” 

Immediately after her proclamation, Zelena gathered up all of the available Black Knights and rushed to defend the main gate, Hades at her side. With no time to inform her sister of the impending assault, the redhead hoped that her small team could hold off the wolves until backup arrived. As the witch conjured up two massive green fireballs, Hades summoned Cerberus in an effort to level the playing field.   
“Fighting canines with a canine?” Zelena commented, impressed by his tactics. “Now why didn’t I think of that?” She stole a glance at her fiancé’s beloved pet hellhound sitting obediently at his feet, and smirked when the Black Knights were horrorstruck by the sight of such a creature. “Don’t worry boys, he’s perfectly tame.”  
Finding the queen’s sister utterly insane, Captain Blackwall alternated his gaze between the three-headed monstrosity and the approaching pack of werewolves. “Tame? I beg your pardon Empress, but I don’t believe you understand the definition of tame.”   
Hades chuckled and affectionately scratched behind the ears of the middle head. “Be a good boy, Cerberus.” He instructed, directing the hellhound’s attention to the wolves in the distance. “Protect your mistress!”   
Upon receiving orders, the Underworld’s gatekeeper bolted from his master’s side and sprinted across the drawbridge in hot pursuit of the enemy, his path illuminated by an arc of green fire intended for a werewolf. Growling hideously, the half-ton beast lunged at his target and ripped its throat out in one swift movement, an act that wholly angered the victim’s kin.  
The enraged wolves shifted their immediate focus toward Cerberus and initiated a clash of fur, claws, and teeth. One wolf went for the hellhound’s right head while another attacked the right flank, successfully surrounding him as more wolves followed suit. Afraid of defeat, Cerberus whined for Hades, but he was saved by someone else entirely.   
In an unexpected turn of events, the night air grew colder, accompanied by a blizzard that swept the battlefield and froze the wolves in place. Unaffected by the change in climate, Cerberus barked his thanks to the blonde witch who protected him: the cardinal witch of the North.  
“You’re very welcome, Cerberus.” Glinda greeted as she dusted the snow off of her dress. “Now, let’s leave these dogs to my coven and go see what kind of trouble your mistress got herself into, shall we?” 

From the privacy of the castle’s main courtyard, the two Ozian women were quick to reacquaint themselves as chaos began to ravage the once peaceful fortress. “I wish I could say it’s wonderful to see you again Glinda, but given the circumstances…” Zelena trailed off, aware that the blonde could infer the rest.   
“No need to apologize, sister.” The ice mage reassured as she cast a concealment charm designed to keep their conversation private. “In fact, that is precisely why I’ve sought your council, albeit at your inconvenience.”   
Intrigued, Zelena made herself comfortable on one of many decorative benches and patiently waited for Glinda to elaborate. “Surely things in Oz aren’t as dire as they are here?” The redhead eyed her fellow witch with disbelief. “You have to admit, it’s oddly coincidental.”  
Glinda simply nodded and maintained her rigid posture as she sat across from the vampire. “Indeed, which leads me to believe the situation in Oz and the conflict here are connected.” She lowered her voice out of habit and then gave Zelena the news: “The silver slippers have been stolen.”  
“Impossible!” Zelena responded as her features twisted into an expression of utter shock. “When did this happen?” She stared at Glinda, unable to process the mere idea of anyone outsmarting the blonde. “And more importantly, do you know who was responsible?”  
“The Dark One.” The mistress of the north reluctantly admitted. “He caught me off guard with some fancy dagger of paralysis.”   
Zelena growled in disgust. “That bloody imp!” Once she recovered from her initial reaction, the vampire raised an eyebrow. “Wait a minute, what dagger?”  
“I’ve never seen it before in my life, but he used it to possess me. That’s how he stole the slippers.”   
“But why would he want them? With as many magic beans as he has, why would he need another method to cross realms?”   
Having already considered it, Glinda countered, “Because there’s one realm that can’t be reached with magic beans. It’s where your mother resides.” 

Unfortunately, Cora’s daughters were in for a long night. As Glinda and Cerberus made their retreat, a second wave of werewolves emerged from the forest and descended with unrelenting savagery upon the castle. Driven by bloodlust, the few dozen wolves made it their mission to eradicate the Evil Queen’s knights, and they succeeded with brutal efficiency. Their brief victory allowed royal allies Snow and David to take a much-needed breath, as they were no longer in immediate danger.   
“Well that was terrifying!” David exclaimed as he sheathed his sword. “I’m glad they’re on our side and not Regina’s.”  
Snow lowered her bow and brought her horse to a walk. “I wouldn’t get too comfortable. We may have caught Regina off guard, but she was never one to easily surrender.” She shot the prince a worried glance. “Have you heard from the Merry Men?”   
David shook his head. “No, I haven’t.” He knew that Snow would fret until she knew they were safe, so he suggested that they send someone after them.   
“Who do you have in mind?” The princess questioned as she considered their options. “In my opinion, Ruby is the clear choice, but she and the rest of the wolves are still dealing with Regina’s guards.”   
“Which is why I’m nominating the fairies for this task.” He gestured to the many miniscule, brightly colored specks floating above their heads. “They can search the castle and remain undetected.”   
Almost immediately, the blue particle danced around the others excitedly and flew away, the remaining colors of the rainbow not far behind. “I’m glad you put as much faith in Blue as I do.” Snow praised, mesmerized by the trail of fairy dust the sprites left in their wake. “But it would be foolish of us to ignore the possibility of her failure. We need an alternate strategy.”  
“I can already guess what you’re about to say.” David frowned as he guided his horse away from the open field. “And I’d rather not get him involved.”  
Now irritated, the princess trailed after him. “Oh really?” She snapped as she glared at him. “What choice do we have? He is the only sorcerer I know of who can challenge Regina, and apparently will make a deal with anyone!”   
“Deals involving dark magic!” David countered once he lowered his voice. “It’s too much of a risk. You are royalty, and I’m sure he’s well aware of that fact.”  
Having had this discussion more than once, Snow rolled her eyes and proceeded to chant the Dark One’s name three times. It was a decision that she made with full confidence.   
The prince protested heavily as Rumplestiltskin’s signature mauve colored smoke filled the air. “No!” He cried, horrorstruck as the infamous sorcerer made his overdramatic appearance in the company of two strange women.   
“It’s about time, dearie!” The Dark One reprimanded with a flamboyant flourish. “I was beginning to think you’d gone the way of your beloved father.” Before Snow could decide on how to respond, the unknown brunette mage did it for her as she scowled and struck the Dark One on his bicep.   
“Manners, Mordred!” She scolded in response to her friend’s amusement. “Princess Snow White did not summon you to be insulted. Apologize to Her Highness!”  
In blatant defiance of his mother, Rumplestiltskin waved her off and made direct eye contact with the young royal. Taking delight in her discomfort, the vampire began negotiations.   
“How may I be of service?”

“I don’t need your protection.” Rumplestiltskin growled, offended by the mere suggestion that they could effectively offer him asylum from his enemies. “And I will not apprehend Regina. Removing her from the throne will have disastrous consequences for the entire kingdom.”  
Irritated that they were getting nowhere, David had to restrain himself from shouting. “Disastrous consequences? What could be worse than a mass-murdering monster?”   
“Her mother.” The Dark One patronized. “None of you have witnessed Cora’s incomparable cruelty firsthand, or what she’s recently become. I have. If her daughter is overthrown, she’s going to be very, very displeased.”  
Deep in thought, Snow wondered “Then wouldn’t it be in Cora’s best interest to rationalize with Regina? Have her change her behavior?”   
The princess’ naiveté was beginning to grate on Fiona. “The Queen of Hearts is not a kind woman. You involve her and you’ll have wished for Maleficent’s curse.”   
“Queen of Hearts?” David asked, unfamiliar with the title. “In all the gatherings I attended, no one mentioned her by that name.”  
“That’s because it wasn’t yet warranted.” Rumplestiltskin snapped. “If you can’t figure it out, Regina and Cora are cut from the same cloth.”   
Snow appeared to be disturbed by the thought. “So what are you saying?” She asked, more than a little frustrated. “You won’t help us?”  
“I never said that!” The Dark One insisted as he massaged his temples. “I merely said that I wouldn’t be directly responsible for the assassination of a monarch. Putting her to trial, as Maleficent’s curse will allow us to do, is another matter.”   
As Rumplestiltskin’s plan became clear, the royals were hesitant to agree to it. “Why are you supporting Snow’s claim to the throne?” David asked, highly suspicious of the impish man. “Haven’t you been advising Regina for years?”  
With barely concealed anger, the Dark One revealed that the sovereign no longer required his council. 

While Snow White and her prince wondered whether Rumplestiltskin’s comment held any weight, the queen prepared for the inevitable siege of her castle.   
“Snow White?” She hissed, dangerously close to losing her temper. “Why didn’t any of you forest-dwelling buffoons mention that immediately?”  
Robin tried to reach for her, but she shook him off. “Not now, Robin.” Regina commanded. “I’ve finally found something to live for.” She brushed past her bemused lover and dug well-worn custom-made chainmail out of her armoire. “Someone to destroy!”   
“Regina, that’s not what I meant when I said find a hobby!” Robin reproached, his disturbed expression matching those of his Merry Men. “And take that off, we are not going to war!”  
In lieu of a response, the queen remained silent and allowed the dissenting men to hear the distant sounds of battle. “I don’t believe the wolves outside agree with you.” She left the tower without another word, fully focused on locating her father and her sister.   
“Regina!” The Prince of Thieves shouted in frustration as he chased her up a staircase with his bow drawn. “You bloody stubborn woman! Wait!” Unfortunately, his cries were ignored as the queen ran about the parapet looking for her archers. There were none to be found.   
“Barbaric imbeciles!” The vampire growled, utterly furious that her stepdaughter’s werewolves had already wounded her forces. “The whole north side of the castle is unprotected!” Looking entirely deranged, Regina studied Robin’s men and came to an impulsive decision.   
“There are five of you at least, correct?” She inquired to Little John with obvious impatience.   
The largest of the Merry Men nodded, hesitant to even be within a few feet of the mad woman. “All with bows, Your Majesty.” He held up a hand to prevent the other men from offending the queen with their ill-chosen words.   
“Excellent!” Regina praised, pleased at the coincidence. Then, without wasting anymore time, the queen ordered the Merry Men to each take their posts and shoot down any enemy that dared approach the fortress.   
Robin’s men complied without complaint, even though they technically had no obligation to do so. She wasn’t their sovereign.   
“Regina, they are my men!” Robin objected, irked at her shameless audacity. “You can’t just order them around as if they were your knights!”  
“Oh, but I can.” The monarch purred. “We’re engaged. What’s yours is mine.” She normally would have continued to playfully provoke her thief, but then she remembered why they were on the parapet to begin with.   
From her rigid posture, Robin knew she was worried, presumably about encountering the princess. “I believe you’re a few steps ahead, milady.” He teased in efforts to lighten her spirits. “That only applies after we’re married.”  
She said nothing, which told Robin it was serious. “What is it, Regina? What’s wrong?” When he tried to comfort her, she moved further away from him.   
“There’s no sign of my father or my sister.” The queen admitted as she watched the Merry Men set fire to their arrows. “Zelena has certainly heard the howling by now, Robin. Why hasn’t she sought me out?”   
Before Robin could answer, his fiancé was awash in a wave of cerulean glitter. To his horror, the strange particles appeared to have immobilized her. “Regina!” 

As Robin frantically attempted to determine why his lover was suddenly paralyzed, three blue, green, and orange specs entered his field of vision and materialized into winged women.   
“She won’t be able to answer you, I’m afraid.” The brunette clad in blue remarked as she wrapped the queen in silver chains. “The spell she’s under is meant to incapacitate all her senses.”   
“Let her go!” Robin nearly shouted, aware that silver would burn Regina’s skin like hellfire. “You’re hurting her! Stop it, I beg you!” His outcry was loud enough to draw the attention of his men, who dropped their bows and hurried to investigate.   
But before they could intervene, the Blue Fairy’s companions turned on their superior. “This is not what we agreed on, Blue!” The blonde one groused. “Tiger Lily and I consented to capture the queen with as little violence as possible.”   
Her coral colored kin agreed. “I’m with Tinkerbell. You’ve crossed the line!” She stepped away from Blue to showcase her disagreement with the chosen course of action. “Snow White will be horrified once she hears of this.”   
The green fairy, Tinkerbell, was more hesitant to actually switch sides. “Not just the princess, Tiger Lily. Maleficent as well.” The mere mention of the Black Fairy’s name caused Blue to go rigid. “If you remember, she wanted to be the one to capture the queen. Now we’re all at her mercy.”   
To Robin’s surprise, Little John closed his eyes and groaned. “Shit. I forgot about her.” The other Merry Men looked at their prince with guilt, and it was clear to Robin that they had left an important detail out of their reunion.   
“So lads,” He began, equal parts furious and frustrated, “when were you going to tell me?” Because the prince had turned away from the fairies in order to reprimand his men, he failed to notice that one more had joined the party.   
Maleficent herself arrived in nothing less than a blaze of chartreuse green flames that served as a statement of her power. As the sudden, intense heat warmed his back, Robin recoiled like he had been burned and looked directly at the sorceress responsible for such an offense. She was almost reptilian in appearance, with an ashen complexion and bright yellow eyes, but what unnerved the prince the most was her dragon horn headpiece that she had paired with black and purple robes.   
“Oh my, someone’s angry!” The Black Fairy teasingly remarked, as she emerged fully from the flames. “Shall I send a raven next time?”   
Already at his wit’s end, Robin was not in the mood for games. “There won’t be a next time!” He growled as he glared at the sorceress. “Especially not if your intention is to harm Regina!” Unfortunately, his threat drew Maleficent’s attention to the restrained queen, which was the opposite of what he wanted.   
“You make it sound so reprehensible.” She criticized as she blatantly ignored Blue’s indignant scowl. “Would you, if you were impartial to the situation?” The feared sorceress ran a hand over Regina’s frozen form like she was assessing a newly acquired piece of treasure. “Would you oppose the capture and execution of a bloodthirsty psychopath?”   
The thief found it hard to disagree with Maleficent. As any sane person would conclude, the correct course of action would be to imprison Regina for the good of the kingdom. And in any other situation, he would have helped the Black Fairy do just that. But this was not any other situation.   
“No, of course not!” He reassured as his honor would demand. “It’s complicated.” Then, as the two opposing sides stood at a standstill, Robin realized that the dark fairy’s presence didn’t make sense.   
“If we can set aside our differences for a minute,” The prince said in an effort to change the topic of conversation, “I would like to know why a known practitioner of dark magic would want to disempower one of her own.”   
Mildly impressed, Maleficent decided that the distressed human’s question deserved a serious reply. “I assumed you knew.” The Black Fairy briefly sneered at her arrogant sister before going on to explain to Robin what she had already told Snow and the Merry Men.   
“Bloody hell.” He groaned and threw his hands in the air, utterly exasperated with the complexity of it all. “This is madness!”   
“I disagree.” Blue countered, speaking for the first time in minutes. “What’s madness is the fact that we’re debating whether or not to incarcerate a monster!” Before anyone could react, the fairy took matters into her own hands and seized Maleficent’s staff, intending to cast the Curse of the Imprisoned herself.   
The exchange went horribly awry, however, as Regina was accidentally set free in the process. And although the raven-haired monarch was severely weakened, her rage knew no bounds.   
“Get. Away. From my fiancé!” She roared as she hurled two massive fireballs at the horned fairy. “Whatever you want with him, you won’t be getting it!” Regina never thought twice about her actions, for she knew that her impulsive nature had always worked in her favor. She quickly regretted them.   
Robin couldn’t fault her for lashing out, as she was simply trying to protect him, but she had horribly misunderstood Maleficent’s intentions and endangered her life in the process. Helpless to stop it, the prince could only stare as the calm and composed Black Fairy transformed into a magnificent fire-breathing dragon.   
“Shit.” Regina muttered as she realized that she had just lost any advantage she might have had over the fairy. “This is your fault, Forest Boy!”   
“My fault?” Robin cried out indignantly as the parapet began to crumble around them. “If I recall, you were the one that provoked her, Your Majesty!”   
In the midst of their argument, Maleficent began to thrash about in an attempt to dig her massive claws into the rapidly deteriorating shingles of a lookout tower collapsing under her weight. By the time they noticed, the nightmarish beast’s tail had caused significant damage to the neighboring turret.   
“Oh, to hell with your lover’s quarrel!” Will Scarlet shouted as he dodged a falling stone fragment. “We need to take cover! Now!” His suggestion seemed to invigorate the two royals into action, with one immediately sprinting for safety and the other away from it.   
Of the opinion that the queen had sealed her doom, Blue no longer felt that she was needed and fled the scene with her two winged accomplices: a selfish act that left the Merry Men to fend for themselves.   
“Regina!” Robin cried out for the second time that night. “Have you gone completely mad? A vampire is no match for a dragon!”   
His words fell on stubborn, deaf ears. The vampire monarch had used her agility to edge as close as possible to the nightmarish beast without being detected. Then, she vaulted onto its back and scorched the vulnerable right wing with a blast of flames.   
Roaring in anguish, Maleficent used her undamaged wing to knock the queen into the unforgiving exterior of her own fortress where she collided with a sickening crack. The horned creature huffed in satisfaction and locked its chartreuse eyes onto Regina with the intention of finishing her off. As the dragon prepared to flambé the Evil Queen, she was struck by a barrage of silver-tipped arrows from her prey’s pesky human bodyguards.   
“Over here, you ugly oversized bat!” Alan taunted as he attempted to direct Maleficent’s attention away from Regina. “Come and get it!”  
With one final glance at the unmoving queen, the Black Fairy was in hot pursuit of her new, more interesting target as she barreled down the stretch of roof at a thunderous pace. When she was just short of her goal, the ground went icy and slick beneath her.   
“Now, Zelena!” A voice unfamiliar to the fairy ordered as she was frozen solid by yet another irritating mage. “Go to your sister!” Some redhead, assumedly this Zelena person, briefly entered her vision before she disappeared into the night with an agility only vampires possessed. The discovery intrigued her, but only for a moment. She was too bitter about her current failure to care.   
“Reinforcements!” Robin exhaled from behind makeshift shelter, more than relieved. “It’s about damn time!”   
“Mate,” Little John prompted as the mystery blonde approached, “you know this woman?” It made sense for Robin to be familiar with Regina’s sister, but the ice mage had him at a loss.   
“I’m afraid he doesn’t.” The blonde replied for him. “Glinda of Oz, an associate of Zelena’s.” She glanced between the battle-worn Merry Men and the frozen dragon, pleased that she and Zelena arrived before it was too late. “First werewolves, and now a dragon? You boys have had quite the rough night.”   
Scoffing, Robin leaned on Little John for support and huffed, “You can certainly say that again. We’re all a bit banged up, if you couldn’t tell.” He finally started to calm down, as they were out of imminent danger. “Zelena’s checking on Regina? Is she ok?”   
Glinda frowned, unable to provide the reassurance he needed. “It’s hard to say. She could have a wide range of injuries.”   
While Robin fretted over his fiancée’s condition, the Merry Men had other questions. “Not to interrupt, but when will the spell wear off?” Alan wearily asked as he gazed at the dragon, having no desire for a repeat performance.   
“Oh, in a few minutes.” Glinda replied nonchalantly. “Possibly sooner. I wouldn’t trouble yourself boys; it’s highly likely dear Maleficent has had enough for one day.”   
The cardinal witch of the North was correct: immediately after she made that remark, the ice surrounding the Black Fairy melted and the defeated creature flew away before her pride could be wounded any further.   
Now that nothing was standing in his way, Robin rushed over to where Zelena was kneeling beside her unconscious sister. “How is she?” He breathed as the redhead made her assessment. “Will she be alright?”   
Zelena could tell he was desperate, so she gave him the condensed version. “It looks worse than it is.” She placated as her hand trailed over the queen’s body, healing her. “She has a mild concussion from the impact, and a few scratches. Fortunately for her, vampires are not as fragile as humans, otherwise I’d be more concerned.”   
Unable to tear his eyes away from his love, Robin simply nodded. “That’s all I needed to hear, thank you Zelena.” Aware that the castle was still under attack, the prince knew that they had to get Regina off the roof.   
“Is it possible to move her?” He asked the redhead. “It’s likely that Princess Snow White will be at our doorstep sooner rather than later.”   
“Yes, gently.” She affirmed as she instructed Robin on how to lift her without jostling her too much. “Best to let her recover in her chambers.”   
With Regina limp in his arms, the pair retreated into the relative safety of the fortress, hoping that it would withstand Snow’s forces long enough for the queen to awaken.

Down on the battlefield, Morgana le Fay was slowly losing her patience with the indecisive princess her son had insisted on supporting.   
“I can’t believe we’re discussing this.” The famed sorceress ranted to the elf beside her. “If Snow White truly wants the throne, then she needs to get a grip and assassinate the queen before she recovers. That girl knows as well as I do that Maleficent did her a favor.”  
Fiona raised an eyebrow. “Provided that Tinker Bell’s word is trustworthy.” The elf countered in a barely audible murmur meant for discretion. “Strange. I was under the impression that your son is vehemently against that idea. And I imagine the princess is as well.”  
“Which is why she remains a princess!” Morgana hissed as she dragged her friend out of earshot. “In order for Mordred to rise to power, through Snow White or otherwise, Queen Regina has to die.” She revealed the dagger she had concealed under her robes, as well as her murderous intent.   
“You stole from your own son.” Fiona remarked, only mildly surprised by the revelation. “How very…devious of you.”  
“And you would have done the same for any of your children!” Morgana snapped, not in the mood for the elf’s hypocritical judgment. “He will understand, in time, what I achieved for his sake.”  
As it became apparent that Morgana’s mind could not be swayed, Fiona sighed and disappeared from view with the assumption that the brunette would soon follow.   
“My my, someone’s lacking enthusiasm.” The sorceress chuckled as she, too, vanished into thin air. 

Morgana was seconds away from gleefully plunging the dagger straight through the heart of the Evil Queen when she was roughly thrown from the vampire’s bedside by an outburst of magic.   
“May I help you?” Regina mumbled thickly as she slowly regained consciousness, her throat dry and voice raspy from lack of use.   
“No need Your Majesty, I was managing just fine without your assistance.” Her unwelcome visitor quipped, supremely displeased that her attempt had been thwarted by (in her opinion) a lesser, now feeble mage.   
Unable to recognize the woman’s voice, Regina peered through her lashes to familiarize herself with her assailant. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” The monarch provoked, not quite recovered enough to fully test this woman’s limits. “Perhaps you should abandon this foolish pursuit before I have you executed for treason.”  
Growling, Morgana gripped the dagger tighter and lunged once more at the queen, enraged when the weapon inexplicably fell from her grasp. “You bitch!” The sorceress hissed as she realized Regina still had access to her magic. “My son should have bled you dry that night!”   
“Yes,” Regina retorted, momentarily stunning Morgana motionless by her somber response, “he should have.” Having suddenly lost the desire for any further conversation with Rumplestiltskin’s supposed mother, the vampire used the last of her strength to neutralize Morgana’s magic.   
“How dare you?” The brunette howled at the offense, livid that she was now as intimidating as a lowly peasant. “Do you know who I am?” She ranted. “Do you have any idea who you’ve just insulted?”   
Regina, regrettably, did not, but her sister’s fiancé spared her that indignity when he strode into her chambers unannounced.   
“Lady Morgana le Fay.” Hades supplied for her, his body language and tone hinting at some level of previous familiarity. “The grand sorceress of Camelot.”   
“Hello to you as well, Hades.” Morgana nonchalantly replied as Robin and Zelena entered the room. “It’s been a long time.”   
While the mention of Camelot initially caught Regina’s interest, the monarch sat up a little straighter when Zelena noticed the underlying tension between Morgana and her fiancé.  
“A long time since what, exactly?” The redhead directed at Hades as she laid a possessive hand on his shoulder. “Anything I need to know about, my love?”   
Sensing that an argument was imminent, Robin changed the subject before Zelena tore the other woman to pieces. “Are you alright, Regina?” He asked as he kneeled at her bedside. “We heard strange shouting and assumed the worst.”   
Touched by his concern, Regina laid a comforting hand over his. “You would be correct.” The monarch validated mid cough. “But as you can see, I handled it. I’m fine.”   
“She tried to kill you?” Robin surmised, considerably more alarmed than he was a minute ago. “Did Snow White send her?”  
As she was still free to move around, Morgana wisely put distance between herself and the Locksley prince. “In a sense. While my son and I are at present allies with the princess, I acted on my own volition. Neither of them know about this.”   
“Rumplestiltskin did what?” Regina seethed, seeing red. “Pardon me, Morgana, but I don’t believe I heard you correctly.” The vampire fought every exhausted muscle in her body to rise to her feet- brought to life by a renewed surge of rage.   
“I did.” Zelena snarled upon the realization that their former mentor betrayed them for the enemy. “Tell me, mage, did your son’s little excursion to Wonderland have anything to do with it?”   
“He went to see Mother?” Regina hissed, close to losing what was left of her composure. “When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me?”   
“Because I only found out a few hours ago!” Zelena defended as she stepped closer to the Dark One’s mother. “Glinda believes it was recent.”   
Morgana rolled her eyes at the mundane argument, but decided to answer the redhead’s question anyway. “If the two of you are finished,” She admonished, “I can tell you that he made the decision to side with Snow White shortly after Her Majesty refused to cast the Dark Curse. Your mother had no sway in his resolution.”   
“Even so,” Zelena snapped, “when you return to dear Rumplestiltskin, please inform him that he has until morning to reconsider his foolish decision.” She went on to explain why, for her sister’s benefit. “When those bloody wolves began to decimate our Black Knights, I sent for Dracula’s wife, Princess Ingrid of Arendelle, and her vampire soldiers to assist us. Once she arrives, he won’t be able to change his mind.”

Now that they had the Dark One on their side, Snow White felt it was time to finally end the prolonged conflict between her and her stepmother. Per Rumplestiltskin’s recommendation, she and David agreed to be transported into the castle by magic, where they would likely find Regina.   
“Do you think she’s expecting us?” The princess asked once they reappeared inside her former home, careful to keep her voice at a whisper. “The whole place seems deserted.”   
“Oh, I’m sure she has other problems at the moment.” Rumplestiltskin cryptically replied before he disappeared a second time, leaving the two royals perplexed.   
Thinking that they had potentially been double-crossed, David glanced at Snow as they navigated the dark halls. “I’m not so sure about this.” He stated, one hand resting on the pommel of his blade. “We could be walking right into a trap.”  
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take, if it means finally putting an end to this insanity.” Snow responded, already ascending the staircase leading to the north wing.   
“May the gods be with us.” David muttered, trying to fight the feeling that they were walking to their own deaths.   
When they had reached Regina’s chambers, Snow took a deep breath and opened the heavy oak door before she came to her senses. 

Upon entering the queen’s private quarters, the young royals were hoping for an easy victory. Instead, they were met with the opposite: not only was Regina conscious, she was not alone. A total of five people stood between them and the monarch, of which only one they recognized. Rumplestiltskin.   
“…Change my mind?” The Dark One retorted, seemingly offended by whatever was said. He ignored their presence in favor of glaring at a redheaded woman, his ire extremely palpable. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that, dearie!”  
However, they weren’t overlooked for long, as that was when Regina locked eyes with her exiled stepdaughter.   
“Snow White!” The vampire growled, shifting all the attention in their direction. “Come to finally surrender?” Regina hissed as she stumbled toward them, disregarding multiple protests that she should stay off her feet.   
“I had considered it.” The princess confessed, shocking David. “But that would only benefit you, not the kingdom.”   
Regina laughed at her stepdaughter’s predictable response. “Is that so?” She mocked, purple smoke swirling at her feet. “How selfish of me.”   
Then, before anyone could react, the two remaining members of the monarchy vanished into thin air. 

“Regina, wait!” Snow White pleaded as the pair materialized in the secluded southern courtyard. “There is still a chance for compromise. This doesn’t have to end in violence!”   
Having waited entirely too long for this moment, the queen found her stepdaughter’s request laughable. “There will be no compromise.” The raven-haired monarch stated as she hurled a massive fireball at Snow’s head. “You will pay for ruining my life!”   
“Ruining your life?” Snow shouted, narrowly escaping incineration. “I’m not the one that turned you into a vampire!”  
“It might as well have been you!” Regina hissed as she blindly lunged for the girl, fangs bared. “I wasn’t a monster until you went and cried to your insufferable father!”   
Snow dove under a bench to avoid being bitten, aware that she was prolonging her own demise. “I was scared! You were literally drinking someone’s blood, Regina!” The princess exclaimed as she was dragged out from underneath her sanctuary. “What was I supposed to do?”  
“Kept it to yourself, like I had asked!” The queen growled, pinning Snow to the ground with her superior strength. “I lost Daniel because of you!”   
As she struggled to free herself, the princess couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her stepmother. Whoever this Daniel was, he clearly meant a great deal to the queen. “I’m sorry Regina, truly! But no amount of grief can excuse what you’ve done.”   
Infuriated that Snow had the nerve to judge her instead of beg her for mercy, Regina tightened her grip around the girl’s neck. “I don’t want your pity!” She snarled, hovering her free hand over her stepdaughter’s chest. “I want your life!”  
Before the princess could protest, Regina had the beating organ secured in her icy clutches. With one last smirk, reveling in her revenge, the queen applied a crushing amount of pressure to the glowing heart still pulsing in her palm. 

Rumplestiltskin was so close to having everything he ever wanted. Not only did Snow White trust him completely, she practically guaranteed him control of the kingdom after she took the throne. He was nearly shaking with glee when they discovered that Regina could no longer effectively hold her own in a fight, and prepared for a swift and easy victory. But then his former protégée had to go and ruin his plans.   
In an unexpected turn of events, Regina summoned enough magic to transport herself and the princess away from prying eyes. Anyone else would have given up, but he was the Dark One. Admitting defeat was not in his nature.   
“…I don’t want your pity!” He heard the queen yell as she prepared to take Snow White’s heart. “I want your life!”   
Sensing that it was now or never, Rumplestiltskin stepped out of the shadows before the one true heir to the throne was no more.   
“Pardon me, dearie, but I can’t let you do that!” He reprimanded, removing the fragile organ from Regina’s possession. “She and I have a deal.”  
With Snow White’s heart intact, Rumplestiltskin activated Maleficent’s curse- a particularly nasty bit of magic that trapped the unfortunate victim in a virtual holding cell.   
As Regina fought against her invisible bonds, cursing his name, he smugly informed her that she would be put on trial for her crimes.   
“If I were you, Your Majesty,” the Dark One warned as he towered over his former apprentice, “I’d choose abdication over death!”   
The queen’s subsequent murderous glare suggested that his recommendation was the furthest thing from her mind.


End file.
